


Magic, Monsters, & Mayhem

by imawarlock



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, M/M, Magical glowing dicks, Mild Gore, Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-05 16:18:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 97,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1824622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imawarlock/pseuds/imawarlock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>***fic on permanent hiatus.***</p><p>"Aren't you going to tell me who we have to kill?" Levi asked. He stared straight into the man's hood, right where his eyes should be. He could almost sense his devious smile, as if he knew he had nearly convinced him, and he watched as he reached into his robes and pulled out a crude drawing. </p><p>He handed it to Levi, who instantly recognized the figure depicted as Erwin Smith, revered paladin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Levi sat in the tavern with two of his associates, nursing a cup of mead and watching the commotion outside with mild annoyance. He’d just wanted a quiet evening, a night of spending all the gold he’d recently come across on gambling and enough booze to get him drunk enough to pass out in the inn upstairs. But as soon as he’d sat down, the town bells that signaled the return of a raiding party started ringing, and every citizen within a mile had apparently stopped what they were doing to rush to the gates.

From the nearest window he could see the crowd gathered, waiting with excitement to see who was going to pass through the wall. It was evening, and the sun was growing low in the sky. Normally by now the tavern would be filled with rowdy patrons getting drunk, starting fights, and playing dice games, but the bells had pulled everyone away, and Levi, Isabel, and Farlan were the only two inside except for a hooded man sleeping in the corner. He smelled like sulfur and was emitting some kind of dark purple glow, and Levi had made sure to pick the spot farthest away from him when they entered.

“What do you think they’re bringing back? I hope its someone’s head!” Isabel said suddenly from beside Levi, staring out the window. Excitement shone on her face - apparently, the mood from outside was contagious, and Levi was the only one immune to its effects.

Levi grimaced, taking a large swallow of his mead. “It's nothing, I’m sure.” He said, eyes shifting to look at Farlan. “Whose head would it be, anyway? I haven’t heard about anyone looking for a murderer recently, have you?”

Farlan shook his head. They were rogues, and it was their business to keep an ear out for such things. Thievery and spying was normally what they stuck to, but if the right job came along, they were certainly not above assassination and murder. Most men would pay a pretty penny for another man’s head, and even more if it could be done quietly and kept under the rug. If this group really had killed someone like that, then parading their dirty work through the city streets wasn’t going to end well.

Levi’s eyes slid back to the window when the sound of the gates being opened reached his ears. The crowd started cheering suddenly, and Levi’s disinterest grew the louder they became. He was just about to look away when the masses parted, revealing the figures of the triumphant raiding party.

“Well, look who it is.” Farlan murmured.

“Wings of Freedom!” Isabel gasped, leaning forward so that her hands and the tip of her nose pressed against the grimy glass of the window. Levi couldn’t help but make a disgusted sound, pulling her back and using her cloak to wipe away the smudge of dirt that had smeared on her face.

She was referring to the sigil on the group’s tabards, wings of blue and white crisscrossed over a green background. They were a rather large guild that were known for their heroic acts against the marauding titans. Their leader, especially, was practically worshipped from how much Levi heard about him on the streets. He was a paladin, a man named Erwin Smith who Levi hated. He didn’t know him personally, but he had decided he couldn’t stand him from the first moment he laid eyes on him and saw him riding through town on his white horse. His armor always looked obnoxiously shiny, all ivory with a green cape flowing from the mantle covering his shoulders.

Levi couldn’t help but notice how comically handsome he was everytime he saw him either, like he was almost a parody of himself, the splitting image of a perfect, heroic paladin. He had sharp cheekbones, full lips, and a strong jaw, and a head of thick, blonde hair. It was ridiculous, and even more ridiculous was the way he glowed, literally, with a golden holy light.  All paladins did - it was a side effect of the magic they got their powers from - but Erwin glowed brighter than any magic user Levi had ever seen. The light surrounding him was visible during the daylight, and sometimes when Levi saw him walking through town the sun would catch on his glow and cast a glare so strong that Levi had to shield his eyes.

He actually fucking sparkled when he smiled, too. Levi knew this because once, he had seen him arrive back in town and accept a flower from a young girl. He had given her a kiss on the hand in thanks, and when he smiled at her the bastard’s magical glow started emanating bright sparkles. Levi remembered that clearly, because he’d immediately gone to the only tavern in town that didn’t kick him out on sight and gotten very drunk.

Right now, Erwin looked just as magnificent and irritating to Levi as he always did, and he rolled his eyes, slamming his cup down suddenly onto the table with enough force to startle Farlan and Isabel. He went to signal the barmaid for another drink, only to realize that the barmaid had gone, left her post to go outside and gawk at the heroes. It was just himself, Farlan, and Isabel alone with the man in the corner, who was somehow still sleeping despite the commotion outside.

“Look, they do have heads! They’re titans!” Isabel gasped, her face pressed against the window again.

“Shit.” Levi groused in response.

Titans were the name given to the members of the lawless bandit clans that plagued the countryside. They had wreaked havoc for nearly a decade, raiding and pillaging villages, killing travelers, and generally disrupting the trade and workings of the entire region. Because of the constant danger, people had flocked to the larger, walled cities for protection, turning them into overcrowded, smelly cesspools.

Unfortunately, no one had yet been able to figure out who the leader of the bandit clans was, but the titans were recognizable from the purple streaks they tattooed onto their faces. Anyone who fought back against them was a hero, and a great cheer went up through the crowd when the Wings of Freedom brought forth a cart full of titan heads.

Because of this, Levi knew, rowdy patrons would soon pour back into the dim tavern, eager to celebrate the Wings of Freedom’s victory. Levi would have to listen to them get drunk, praising the group and Erwin himself. It happened every time - people would talk amongst themselves about how great he was, toasting him and the group and swapping tales of his deeds. Last time, Levi swore he had heard someone call him “Saint Erwin,” and he had nearly gagged on his drink. People always hoped he’d join them in the tavern, as many other members of the guild often did when they returned to town. Erwin never did though, and Levi was sure it was because he was obviously a stuck up, self-righteous do-gooder that didn’t drink alcohol.

Levi continued to watch the group outside until they disappeared, and finally the barmaid came back and brought him a new cup of mead. Several hours later, Levi was starting to feel drunk, and he had somewhat successfully been able to block out the conversations at the bar. Just as he finished one drink and was signalling for another, a hooded figure approached their table and looked at him expectantly.

"Hello, elf. Might I speak with you?" He asked, head angled directly at Levi. He suddenly got a whiff of sulfur, and he realized it was the strange man that had been sleeping alone in the corner.

“That depends on who’s asking.” Levi said, suddenly suspicious. His hand automatically lowered to rest on one of his daggers and beside him, his companions put down their drinks and visibly tensed.

Without pausing, the man reached to his belt and pulled off a large sack of gold, dropping it onto the table loudly.

“I’m in need of a good rogue.”

Levi stared at the bag of gold on the table. It had landed with a loud, metallic clunk and was busting at the seams, nearly overflowing with coins. If his quick estimation was correct, then what was inside would be enough to keep himself, Isabel, and Farlan going for weeks.

“Levi, that’s a lot of gold.” Farlan breathed from beside him, obviously thinking the same thing.

“Alright, go on. I’ll listen to you, for now.” Levi said.

The man sat down, but did not remove his hood. Even from across the table and in the dim light of the tavern, he still could not make out his face. Beneath the cloth, everything was hidden by deep, swirling inky black shadows. It looked like all the light in the room around him was disappearing into where his face should be, and the faint purple glow he had noticed earlier that evening was emitting from the top of his head. The smell of sulfur was burning his nose; it had almost grown strong enough to make him gag, and he knew it had to be some kind of magic. Not the normal kind, though. This man stank of dark magic, and it made Levi wary. He was mistrustful of most any new person he met, but at the same time he was used to dealing with shady, nefarious characters due to the type of business he conducted. But there was just something about this man that did not sit right with him.

“My master requires that someone be….eliminated in the cleanest way possible. Someone who’s going to cause him a lot of trouble, very, very soon. He’d heard you were the best assassin for the job.”

“Who did he hear that from, I wonder?" Levi fingered the handle of his blade, narrowing his eyes. He was sort of well-known in certain circles for his skills, but not with anyone who he thought would associate with a creepy man like this.

The man shrugged. "Does it matter? All he needs is someone who can do the job. Can you, or can you not? There's more gold where that came from, too. My master is a generous man, this is just a sign to show his good faith. If you accept the job, you can keep it."

"Levi, we should do it." Farlan said quietly from beside him, eyes darting from the man to the bag of coins. It wasn't that Levi didn't want the gold, because the promise of that and much more was nearly enough. But he was still suspicious, and picky about who he chose to work with. He wasn't interested in doing anything that was likely to get him or his friends killed.

"Aren't you going to tell me who we have to kill?" Levi asked. He stared straight into the man's hood, right where his eyes should be. He could almost sense his devious smile, as if he knew he had nearly convinced him, and he watched as he reached into his robes and pulled out a crude drawing.

He handed it to Levi, who instantly recognized the figure depicted as Erwin Smith, revered paladin. He raised a thin eyebrow.

"Erwin Smith. What could he have done to make your master want him dead?" Levi said, sliding the sketch back along the table.

The man made a noise that didn’t sound like it could be human at all, but from the way he shook, Levi took it to be laughter.

"As I said, he's about to cause my master a lot of trouble. He's been a nuisance for some time now, really, but he hasn't yet been worth the time or gold. Never mind that though, I thought it wasn't in a rogue's business to ask questions."

That was true. Levi never wanted to know any details about the person he was killing; it was the only way to remain detached from what he was doing. But a heroic man like Erwin Smith having enemies was unusual, paladins usually fought for the side of good, and Erwin was no different. How could he have gotten on the bad side of someone like this?

"So, do you accept?"

Beside Levi, Farlan looked over at him expectantly. On the other side of him, Isabel remained quiet. Farlan was prepared to argue that they take the job, he knew, just because of how much gold the man was offering. Levi weighed the risk. It wasn’t that he doubted their ability to dispose of Erwin, or that he had any qualms about killing him. That wasn’t it at all, considering how much the bastard got on his nerves. Rather, he was extremely distrustful of this man. Something wasn’t right about him, more than the purple glow and sulfur smell and the darkness under his hood. When Levi stared at him for too long, his skin started to crawl and he felt some kind of strange foreboding come over him. Furthermore, who was his master? What kind of man did someone like him work for?

In the past, they’d been duped by business associates before, but they’d always been able to handle it. If that happened here, with this man and his strange, dark magic….well, Levi didn’t like not knowing what they were getting themselves into. Still though, the benefit of having that much gold was hard to ignore.

He reached forward for the sketch of Erwin again, staring at it thoughtfully one more time before he decided.

“Alright. You’ve got a deal. We’ll kill him for you.” Levi said quietly, eyes flicking upward and leaning back in his chair.

“Excellent, excellent!” The man said, standing up quickly, sending a puff of foul sulfur smelling air in Levi’s direction. He couldn’t control his grimace, and he swore he heard the man make that strange laughing sound again. “It is to be done quietly, as I said. No witnesses. My master will expect results as soon as possible, of course, and there’s at least three more bags of gold where this came from for completing the job.”

“Do you want his head? You know, as proof?” Levi asked.

“Yes, yes. Do make sure you bring me his head. Its been a pleasure, elf.” The man bowed low before turning and disappearing into the crowd, and beside Levi, Farlan relaxed and slumped back into his chair.

“We’re going to be rich.” He nearly groaned, running a hand through his hair before he shot forward again, grabbing at the bag of gold on the table to look at its contents.

“Farlan, don’t you think there was something weird about that guy?” Levi asked, still staring at where the man had disappeared into the crowd.

“I didn’t like him. He gave me the creeps.” Isabel said quietly.

“Yea, he was some kind of warlock or something.” Farlan said. “But who cares, whatever he’s up to, it probably doesn’t have to do with us. Let’s just focus on killing the paladin and getting the gold.”

Levi frowned. His first thought had been that the man was a warlock too, but he had met warlocks before. Although they certainly dabbled in questionable magic and were not always the most trustworthy of people, he didn’t think the hooded figure had been a warlock. He was something else, the magic he smelled of was unlike anything Levi had ever encountered before.

He remained silent while Farlan counted the coins and Isabel sat beside him. The other man was right, Levi had agreed to do the job, ignoring his trepidations. They couldn’t worry about it now. Instead, they needed to come up with a plan, find their target and figure out a way to get close to him. That could wait until tomorrow, though, they still had the rest of the night, and Levi was nowhere near as drunk as he wanted to be. He signalled the bartender for another cup of mead, grabbed a handful of coins from what they had left from their previous job, and stood up to make his way to the nearest card table.

  
  
  


It turned out they had no problem figuring out how to get close to the paladin. The next day, after Levi woke up and dealt with his hangover, they made their way into the city square. It was still relatively early, and the area had not filled with its usual crowds. What few people he saw were all gathered around some posts in the center, and as Levi made his way closer he saw that the posts were actually pikes, and stabbed through them and stacked on top of each other were the titan heads. Swarms of flies buzzed around them, and Levi wrinkled his nose at the smell.

He was about to walk away when he glimpsed a flyer nailed to one of the posts. It had the Wings of Freedom’s sigil on it, and read: “Based on new information, the time to move is now. The Wings of Freedom are calling any and all adventurers who wish to reclaim our lands from the titans to be at the town gate at sunrise in two days’ time.”

Apparently, Erwin’s guild was already planning another raid. Levi briefly wondered what the bit about new information meant, but then decided it didn’t matter. He looked over at Farlan, who was standing next to him, to see if he was thinking what he was thinking.

“This is going to be easier than we thought.” Farlan said, and Levi nodded.

All they would have to do to get close to the paladin was join his group. It would mean leaving the relative safety of the city and traveling into the dangerous wilderness, but Levi doubted they would be out there long. They could probably get him alone on the first night, make quick work of him and disappear with his head. His death would almost certainly be blamed on titans or some other dangerous creature, and no one would question anything.

“Do you really think we should kill him?” Isabel said suddenly. She was standing on the other side of Levi, and had read the flyer too. “He saves people from the titans.”

Levi looked at her, not surprised at her reservations. Isabel had come from a village that had been overrun by the bandits. Her parents had been killed, and she’d somehow made it to this city with the few stragglers that had escaped. She was still young, and often wasn’t able to distance herself from the things they did.

“Don’t think about it, Isabel.” Farlan told her. “Just think about the gold. You heard what that guy was offering us, right? If we do this, we won’t have to worry about anything for months. Maybe we could even take a boat across the sea.”

Isabel looked at Farlan, still frowning, and then her eyes shifted to Levi.

“Really?” She asked, looking up at him.

“Maybe.” He told her, his eyes softening a bit at her hopeful expression, and he placed a hand on her hair. Going across the sea was something they'd talked about before. There weren't any titans there, and they wouldn't have to live trapped in a city like they did now. It was expensive though, but if they pulled this off then they could probably do it. “We have to kill the bastard first, like Farlan says. But I was just thinking that I should do this one myself.”

“What? You mean, without our help?” Farlan asked while Isabel looked up in confusion.

“If the only way to get close to him is to go into the wilderness, then I’ll just join the group on my own. It won’t be any problem for me to take him out by myself. I’ll kill him the first night and come back, quick and simple.” Levi explained. He looked at Farlan while he spoke, who opened his mouth like he was about to argue.

“It will just complicate shit if we all go, let me do it.”

Farlan stared at him for a moment, frowning, but then nodded. He understood what Levi was trying to say. He didn’t want to put them in danger if he didn’t have to, especially Isabel, who already had some reservations. Out of the three of them, he was the most skilled. If he went on his own, it would be easier for him to kill the paladin and get back without having to worry about the others.

“This is stupid! What if you get into trouble? What if you need our help?” Isabel asked, frowning again.

“I won’t. I won’t get that far from the city, if I do it the first night. It won’t be hard to get him alone either, he’ll have to take a shit sometime.”

Isabel made a face. “I thought paladins didn’t have to take shits?”

“No, that’s just a myth.” Levi explained calmly. “Paladins shit too, and their shit smells just like everyone elses.”

Farlan rolled his eyes, but Isabel laughed, cowed for now by Levi’s poor attempt at humor.

“Alright, well I think you can do it, then! How will we get his head back to the warlock though? He didn’t tell us how to find him.” Isabel asked.

Levi frowned. He’d already thought of that as well, but he figured he’d deal with it when he got back. He had a feeling that the creepy fucker would find them on his own, anyway. He said as much, and Isabel didn’t say anything else. They spent the rest of that day trying to get a glimpse of Erwin in an effort to glean any additional information that might be useful. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found, and Levi gave up by sunset and went back to the tavern to drink. The next day he went outside the gates, never straying far enough to be in danger and searching the nearby fields and grasses for the specific herbs he needed to mix his deadly poisons. He liked to coat his daggers in it whenever he planned on killing someone - that way, even if he fucked it up somehow, as long as he got at least one cut in the poison would likely still kill them anyway.

For this job, he was going to brew enough to make sure his daggers were dripping in it at all times, so that even if the paladin somehow defeated him, he’d still die slowly and painfully. Then Levi could cut off his head after.

That night, he sharpened his blades, made sure his leather armor was patched up and repaired, and stuffed his pockets and bag with as many herbs, potions, and poisons as he could. He took a little gold from the large sack the strange man had given them, using some of it to buy a horse. He let Farlan and Isabel keep the rest. He didn’t plan on being gone long, of course, but if he wasn’t back immediately he wanted them to have it. He wouldn’t need it where he was going, anyway.

When he slept, he dreamed of faceless monsters with glowing, purple eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi could see the spiders appearing in the shadows, watching their glowing purple eyes as they moved. He could hear the rustling from the woods as they swarmed in from every corner of the forest, and he shuddered, watching as three more came for them and Erwin drew his shield and dropped into a defensive stance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for giant spiders, in case anyone is afraid of them ;)

The next morning Levi rose early and arrived at the city gates shortly before sunrise. The Wings of Freedom were already there packing up supplies and talking amongst themselves. A crowd had started to gather, and Levi stood on the edge of the group beside a cart, leaning against it and crossing his arms. He stood silently, trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible. Gradually other newcomers began to filter in, and he made sure to keep behind them while he looked around for Erwin, pulling an apple from his pack to munch on while he waited.

At first he couldn’t find him, but then he realized he was standing on top of the wall. He was talking with a member of the city guard, gesturing out towards the wilds, his long cape fluttering in the wind. Even from down here, he could see the ridiculous, golden aura surrounding him. Levi studied him while he waited, looking him over as closely as possible, taking in how tall he was and speculating on how much of the weight he carried under his armor was actually muscle. He was only checking him out for the job - for battle strategy, of course - so he could figure out the easiest way to kill him.

He found himself staring for what was probably longer than necessary though, taking in what he could see of the strong features on Erwin’s face and neat hair. Levi took a bite of his apple, chewing slowly while he watched the paladin talk, staring at his lips. Just to try to discern what he was talking about in case he said anything that would help Levi out, obviously, but even with his sharp elven eyes he couldn’t make out the words. So his gaze wandered down over Erwin’s long neck, which after another glance over his body where Levi was only checking for weak spots in his armor, of course, was determined to be the most vulnerable uncovered spot.

Levi thought about what his dagger would look like pressed against that neck, and decided that the easiest way to kill him would definitely be to slit his throat. Levi’s imagination wandered, and he pictured Erwin on his knees in front of him, while Levi held a blade to his neck. He took one last bite out of his apple, chewing casually while he thought about it, and tossed the core over his shoulder. Yea, killing this guy might actually be fun.

Suddenly, he was distracted by a loud voice coming from his right, and when he looked over he saw what could only be described as the wildest looking mage he had ever seen. She was wearing bright yellow robes that looked to be a size too big for her thin frame, and had a pair of round spectacles perched on her nose. Her hair was pulled up behind her head, but half of it seemed to be sticking out in different directions, frazzled and poofy from haphazard magic use. There were various scrolls sticking messily out of her belt, and her wand was shoved behind one of her ears.

She was carrying a long scroll of unwound parchment, and seemed to be going from each new group member and taking down their names. Another mage, this one a man, was following her. He looked slightly more normal, and was watching her like a hawk. When she stood in front of a small, dark haired kid for too long, lifting up his arm like she was trying to examine him, he dragged her away with a look of mild panic in his eyes.

“Hello there!” She said when she approached Levi. “You’re joining our group, yes? What’s your name?”

“Levi.” He answered in a clipped tone. If she tried to touch him like she had that other kid, it was going to take some careful control on his part not to cut off her fingers.

“Just Levi? No last name? No titles or rankings?” She scribbled while she spoke with a huge, red quill, and then looked down at Levi, adjusting her glasses and peering at him.

“Just Levi.” He said through gritted teeth, already praying for this abrasive woman to go away.

“Alright then, Just Levi, my name is Hanji, and this is my apprentice Moblit. What class are you, something physical?”

“I’m a rogue.”

“A rogue, how interesting!” Hanji said with great excitement, scribbling on her parchment again frantically. “We’ve never had a rogue in our group before, I didn’t think they were into this sort of heroic thing. What brings you here, are you just looking for some adventure?”

Levi opened his mouth to tell her to mind her own damn business, but then thought better of it before closing it and nodding curtly instead.

“Oh, you’re an elf too!” She said suddenly, stepping forward to pull at the tip of one pointy ear that was sticking out of Levi’s hair. His eyes flew wide open and he slapped her hand away angrily, glaring at her with as much disdain as he could muster.

“Hey, what the fuck!” He snapped, fuming that this woman who he’d literally just met was shoving herself into his personal space.

“Master Hanji, please! Stop touching people!” Moblit said from behind her, grabbing her hand to pull her away.

“Alright, alright, sorry. My goodness, you’re jumpy aren’t you? And you’re quite short for an elf, too.” She murmured, peering at him from behind her glasses again. “Well, we have another elf in our group. Her name is Nanaba, if you want some company.”

Hanji pointed at a taller woman with short, close-cropped hair. Sure enough, he could see the pointy tips of her ears sticking out from between the shiny blonde strands. She looked to be a cleric from her plain white robes, and she certainly had the ethereal grace and beauty that came with most elves. Levi didn’t much care, though. He wasn’t here to make friends, and he shrugged at Hanji who waved goodbye to him before her apprentice dragged her away.

Levi was apparently the last one she needed to speak to, because he watched her approach Erwin and hand him the parchment. He glanced at it while Hanji waved everyone forward to gather around. Levi followed slowly, eyes taking in his surroundings and making sure to remain at the back of the crowd.

“I’d like to thank you for joining us on this quest.” Erwin said in a loud voice after he’d handed Hanji back the parchment, eyes sweeping over those gathered in front of him. He had a commanding voice, one that drew you in and demanded that you listen, and Levi couldn't help the way his eyes snapped to him immediately. “My name is Erwin Smith, and I lead the Wings of Freedom. Our flyers stated that we’ve found new information about where the titans are coming from, so I’ll get straight to the point: on our last raid, we found this on the body of a dead bandit.”

Erwin pulled something from inside his armor as he spoke and held it up. Levi stared with only vague interest; to him, whatever he was holding just looked like some kind of dark purple rock. Several others in the crowd muttered though, and Erwin’s eyes swept over them.

“This is dark iron. If you don’t know, dark iron is a mineral, one that is extremely rare and can only be found in a few places. We aren’t sure exactly what it was doing on the body of a titan, but our mage, Hanji Zoe, discovered previously that the purple markings on the faces of titans emit a faint magical signature. After studying this piece of dark iron, Hanji has determined that the magical signature emitted by it matches that of the titans’ markings exactly.

We aren’t sure, but we think the titans are not actually in control of themselves. They seem mindless, and after capturing several of them before this was discovered to be true. We tried interrogating them, but they were unaffected by pain and only responded to questioning in garbled language. There is only one place where dark iron can be found in this region, and we believe our best chance of finding answers about where the titans are coming from will be found there.”

All around Levi, the newcomers were whispering and muttering amongst themselves. Hanji the mage looked grim next to Erwin, staring at the dark iron with an odd glint in her eye. Levi was not sure what to think about it all. It seemed like nothing more than a vague hunch to him, but then again, this was the most information he’d ever heard about the titans since they’d appeared.

He’d killed a few before, at least a year ago when he’d been hired to steal something from a man in another town. He’d been lucky to come across them rather than the other way around. It had been odd. He had watched them for a few minutes before he snuck in and stabbed the first one in the back, and noticed that none of them were talking, or eating, or anything. They were all just sitting there staring into space with a blank look on their faces, a strange smell wafting from their camp. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time because he’d been focused on completing the job and getting out of the wilderness, but afterward he remembered thinking they had seemed like they were in some kind of trance.

The theory seemed plausible enough. But if the titans weren't in control of themselves, was Erwin insinuating that they were being controlled by someone else? The thought was enough to send a chill down Levi's spine. From what he knew, mind control was dark magic and extremely complicated. Necromancers used spells of that type to control the dead, and warlocks demons, but mind control of the living was forbidden. He'd heard stories of evil, corrupted sorcerers using it, but the victims were always just one or two people - never something like entire bandit clans.

Whatever. It didn't matter anyway. Levi wasn't in this to save the region and play the hero. He didn’t want glory, he was a rogue, a killer, and all he had to do was separate Erwin's head from his body, get the gold, and get back to town, so he and his companions would not have to worry about anything for weeks.

"The nearest location where dark iron can be found is several month’s journey from here." Erwin continued. "It's in the mountains, at the edges of unexplored territory, and will be quite difficult to reach. In case you don't know, the farther out into the wilderness you go, the more titan clans there are. Since you're here, I'm assuming you feel that you're capable of fighting them. If you aren't, or don't feel that you're up for this journey, please feel free to leave. Our chances of encountering titans at some point are certain, and it's very likely that some of you will die. But, if we're right, and we find answers here, then we may have a chance to end the titan's bloodshed for good. People would be able to leave the walled cities more freely and live out in the open again without fear of attack. The region would be safe.”

The newcomers in the crowd continued to mutter and look around amongst themselves. Some had left while Erwin was talking, and even more trickled away now. Levi watched them, not really surprised. Despite the heroic speech, the paladin had basically just told them all that if they went with him they had a high chance of death. Not to mention the fact that they were planning a very long journey. A week was a long time to be spent traveling these days, much less months. Still, more stayed than Levi would have assumed, although he wondered how many of them were just using the relative safety of a large group to get to the next town.

After a moment where Erwin waited to see if anyone else was going to leave, he looked over the crowd and offered them a small, resigned smile.

“Thank you for staying. We don’t ask much of you, only that you contribute to the group and follow my orders, of course. Also, thievery and subterfuge will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

Erwin’s eyes slid over to Levi when he said that last bit, focusing on him intently. Was it his imagination, or had one corner of his mouth curved up in amusement? Levi could see his eyes flicker as the paladin looked him over, and he was so taken aback by the sudden intensity of his gaze that he forgot to keep his face passive and scowled in response.

What the hell did that mean? He knows I’m a rogue, Levi thought, that mage wrote it down and he read the parchment. That had to be it. Levi knew a rogue’s reputation always preceded him, but there was no way Erwin could know what he was up to though, right? Of course not, Levi told himself, he was just being a pompous bastard and assuming that he was there to steal or some shit. So what if he was there to kill him? Erwin didn’t know that. It angered Levi, but he wasn’t surprised. Paladins were like that, quick to judge anyone who didn’t live up to their perfect, heroic expectations.

After Erwin ended his speech everyone started to gather around the gate. Levi mounted his horse and followed, taking a place at the back of the formation. Erwin was at the front of the group, and Levi stared in irritation at the back of his head and neck. His fingers clenched, itching for his daggers. He was jittery suddenly now that they were about to leave, ready to get going and to get the job done.

The gates opened at Erwin’s command and finally they were off, passing through the tunnel of the wall and into the bright, open air. It didn’t take long for some of Levi’s tension to fade once they’d started making their way down the road and the city faded behind them. Despite the increased threat of danger, Levi actually enjoyed the wilderness. He often felt trapped in the walled city, and out here the air was cleaner and fresher, the sky clear and not marred by smoke and ash.

To his relief, no one really bothered him while they traveled, even when they stopped at noon beside a small stream for lunch and a break. As long as he was left alone, traveling like this was actually somewhat relaxing. He couldn’t lose too much focus though, because as the afternoon waned they soon left the main road they’d stuck to and headed for the edges of a thick forest. By the time they reached it the sun had started to sink low in the sky, but Erwin kept leading them inside until it was fully dark and they reached a small clearing.

Here, they stopped. The place had the remains of an old fire with logs sitting around it, and by the guild’s familiarity with the spot Levi surmised they had camped there before. Levi found a tree near the outskirts of the camp and tied his horse to it, climbing up to the lowest branch and making himself comfortable while he watched everyone and kept an eye on the paladin. His thoughts had wandered during the day’s travel, but now he was back to being focused on the job, and he felt his stomach knot with nerves again.

Levi ate some of the bread and cheese he’d brought with him to try to make himself feel better, and watched Hanji light the campfire with a fireball that nearly engulfed the entire clearing. Moblit pulled her back, shouting as soon as she casted the spell, and frantically patted out the tiny flames that had lit up on her robes. Smoke was wafting from singed pieces of her hair, but other than that she did not appear fazed.

Nanaba, the other elf, made dinner, and while they all ate Levi studied them in case he ended up having to fight anyone else. Besides Erwin, Hanji, and Nanaba, there was a druid, a tall man with a mustache and a long, thick beard. He was blonde like Erwin, but his hair fell shaggily into his eyes and he carried a wooden staff that was covered in vines. Levi thought he looked every inch of a druid, right down to the tiny flowers that were sticking out of his facial hair. At the moment, he was sitting around the fire blowing smoke rings from a pipe in the direction of Nanaba.

There were others, too. Gunther, Erd, Auruo, and Petra were a tight knit group who had looked at him curiously when he’d climbed his tree. Petra appeared to be an archer, Gunther a paladin like Erwin, Erd a mage, and Auruo - well, he couldn’t quite tell what Auruo was supposed to be, other than drunk. He had started drinking from a flask as soon as they’d made camp, and was being quite loud until Petra elbowed him in the side.

When it began to grow late, Levi pulled out his daggers and started sharpening them. No one was paying much attention to him, and for that he was grateful. So when most of the group started to settle down for sleep, Levi carefully got out a vial of poison. Using a cloth, he carefully dripped some of the deadly liquid onto it and rubbed it onto his daggers. He did one at a time, repeating the action until he'd used half a vial on each and then let them dry before sheathing them back at his side. Just a few drops was enough to incapacitate someone, but Levi wanted to be sure. He would get the paladin one way or another.

When he looked up, he noticed the druid staring at him from his position at the fire. He looked like he was sniffing the air, but Levi wasn't sure. He shot him an irritated glance anyway and then pulled up the hood on his black cloak, slumping down like he was going to sleep.

He watched, his sharp eyes taking in everything and waited. Almost everyone had gone to sleep except the paladin. Right now, he was sitting against a tree across the camp and looking at scrolls. Every once in a while he scribbled something on a small piece of blank parchment he held in his lap with a piece of charcoal, tucking it into a gauntlet while he read again. It was getting pretty late, and the fire had almost gone out. Hopefully, he would have to go take a piss or something before he decided to go to sleep.

Sure enough, eventually he rolled up his parchment, tucking it into his armor and putting the scrolls back into his pack. He stood up, stretched a little and adjusted his armor. Levi was watching him like a hawk from under his hood, completely still and barely even breathing while he waited to see what Erwin was going to do.

Come on, you bastard. He thought. Surely you’ve got to piss by now.

Sure enough, after a moment Erwin turned to exit the camp and headed into the woods. Levi’s eyes immediately flickered to the druid, who was on guard duty. He wasn’t looking in Levi’s direction, but in Erwin’s, so Levi moved. He pivoted off his branch silently and swung himself around to hug the back of the tree with all fours, lowering himself down a few feet before he dropped the rest of the way. He landed in a quiet crouch, peeking around the tree’s edge to see if the druid had noticed anything. He hadn’t - he was looking at his pipe now, refilling it with tobacco or whatever he was smoking.

The fire had gone out completely, so Levi relied on what moonlight filtered through the top of the forest to guide his way. Even though he was dressed in full black and was cloaking himself, he backtracked a little to be sure no one in the camp would sense him before heading in the direction Erwin had disappeared in. He moved faster than he was comfortable with, but if Erwin had just gone to relieve himself than he only had a few minutes’ chance.

Once Levi got closer it wasn’t hard to locate the paladin. The golden aura he gave off was nowhere near as bright as Levi had seen it in the city, but it was visible enough in the darkness for Levi to spot him easily. He moved his feet quickly, darting like a shadow between the trees and brush. He’d expected to come upon Erwin already undoing his armor or something, but he had already gone fairly deep into the forest and the paladin was still moving. It was strange, how far did he feel like he needed to go to take a piss?

Levi paused behind a tree when Erwin finally stopped a few yards ahead of him, pressed himself against it and peeked around the edge to stare at his back. He was standing with his legs apart, but instead of adjusting his armor as if to go to the bathroom he pulled out a piece of parchment. Was it the paper he had been scribbling on earlier? He was holding something else in his other hand too but whatever it was, Levi couldn’t see it. Levi thought he heard muttering, and then he swore he saw a purple light start to mingle with Erwin's golden glow.

What the fuck? What was this guy doing, casting a spell? This didn't look like any type of spell a paladin would cast, and even if it was, why had he come out into the middle of the woods to do it? Levi didn't like it, it was strange and suspicious, but it didn't matter. He'd come out here to kill Erwin, and if he was doing something potentially dangerous then he needed to move, and now. Levi drew his daggers silently, fisting them in his hands and crept out from behind the tree. His eyes were on Erwin's neck, the back of which was exposed from his bent head.

He barely took a few steps before he heard the loud sound of a twig cracking behind him. He didn't have time to move before someone slammed into his back, knocking him to the ground hard enough for him to lose his breath. One of his daggers flew out of his hand and as he hit the ground, his arms were twisted behind his back roughly and he felt a sharp knee digging into his spine.

Levi cursed into the dirt, squirming violently to try to escape. It was the damned druid. He glimpsed his bearded face when he turned his head to look behind him. How had he followed him here, how had he even seen him leave the camp? Levi had been sure he’d slipped him.

"Mike?" Levi heard Erwin ask, then the sound of his approaching footsteps.

To Levi's confusion and disgust, Mike bent and sniffed the back of his head, and then the remaining dagger he still held in his hand.

“Hey you creep, what the fuck?!” Levi said loudly, twisting again to test the druid’s grip.

“Poison, Erwin. I smelled it earlier, too. He’s trying to kill you.” Mike said, the pressure on Levi’s wrist from his fingers starting to hurt.

“Is that true?” Erwin asked. The question was obviously directed at Levi, and he turned away from Mike to crane his head up. Erwin was staring down at him, not looking at Levi in anger or betrayal, but with curiosity, as if he found the thought of Levi trying to kill him intriguing rather than threatening.

Levi was caught off guard for a moment by the expression. He’d assumed if he got caught, then he’d be killed immediately. But with the way Erwin was looking at him, perhaps he would be able to talk himself out of this somehow.

He opened his mouth to lie, to tell Erwin that no, he hadn’t been trying to kill him, but before any words came out he noticed movement from behind a nearby tree. His eyes darted over and he froze at what he saw, another curse leaving his lips. Erwin must have sensed something in his tone or expression, because he drew his sword and turned. His eyes snapped open in surprise when he saw what Levi was looking at, his breath hitching as he moved just quick enough to slice the giant arachnid in half that was flinging itself towards him out of the darkness.

There were more where that came from though, many more. Levi could see their glowing purple eyes appearing in the shadows, hear the rustling from the woods as they swarmed in. He shuddered, watching as three more came for them and Erwin drew his shield and dropped into a defensive stance.

"Let me up, fuck, let me up!" Levi shouted, near frantic and thrashing.

"Erwin?!" Mike said loudly, the start of panic rising in his voice. He seemed unsure of what to do. Erwin was holding his own fine right now, he'd killed one of them and was holding the other two back, but four more had just appeared in sight from behind the trees. He was desperately going to need help shortly, but to Mike, letting Levi up meant him killing Erwin or possibly escaping. All Levi knew was that he didn't intend to die like this, as lunch for a bunch of overgrown spiders while these two idiots tried to decide what to do.

Erwin was in no position to answer Mike. He was muttering to himself, casting defensive spells already, fighting back with his shield and sword, and Levi kicked back with one leg in hopes of taking advantage of the druid's distraction. It hit him square in the spine and Mike pitched forward, his weight lifting off of Levi just long enough for him to squirm out from under him, turning and twisting his body to kick him again in the chest. Levi reached for his dropped dagger at the same time as Mike fell backwards, and then leapt up to sink his weapons into the nearest arachnid. There were so many now, it seemed like for every one Erwin killed three more had appeared. Erwin had kept them back as best he could, but out of the corner of his eye, Levi saw one escape past him and leap toward Mike with a horrible shriek.

He hoped he could hold his own. He didn't care about his life, but Levi wasn't ignorant enough to believe that they could survive this without him. All of the spiders had started pouring in now, the forest floor in front of them filled with skittering bodies, and Levi jumped off the back of the one he’d just killed and launched himself into the midst of the fight.

The disgusting things were nearly as big as he was, and he twisted and spun, slashing at them with his daggers, dodging sharp teeth and clawed limbs and darting from one to the other. The poison had no effect, but luckily they were fairly easy to kill. Levi only had to slice through a few of their legs or at their belly before they flopped over, whatever remaining limbs they had twitching and curling as they died. He jumped on the backs of a few, stabbing them behind the neck with both his daggers and flipping off gracefully.

Levi glimpsed Erwin when he spun around to dodge another spider leaping at him, swinging his sword and all golden and bright in the darkness. He turned, raising his shield just in time for the spider that had launched itself at Levi to crash into it, and their eyes locked for half a second before they both returned to the fray. Suddenly Levi felt a surge of something, an uplifting impulse of some kind that urged him onward. He felt stronger; he was hitting harder, moving faster and with exact precision, slaying the enemy with enough determination and purpose to make his stomach tighten with it.

He couldn’t explain the sudden feeling - it was like magic, only it came from within, so he knew the paladin hadn’t blessed him. But when he glimpsed Erwin, fighting with just as much vigor as he was, the feeling only increased. Levi saw a spider about to leap at Erwin’s back, and darted forward, striking at its belly with one dagger and dragging the blade down to gut it as he moved. He felt his heart surge as he did so, the strange inspiring feeling that rushed through him making him feel more powerful the closer he got to Erwin.

Levi didn’t understand, but from the look of grim determination on Erwin’s face when he turned to slice a spider in half with his sword he seemed to be feeling it too. He was glowing so much that the entire area was nearly lit up, the golden light coming off of him making it easy to see what they were killing. They fought like that for what seemed like an eternity, with Levi dancing around Erwin, his arms swinging to stab and slice while Erwin blocked and cut with his sword. In the back of his mind, Levi thought it was like they had been fighting together for years.

They fought for far longer than they should have been able to, but Levi didn’t feel even the faintest hint of exhaustion. The spiders just continued to pour in, until finally, finally the tide of them seemed to cease. Levi didn’t slow until the last spider had been killed though, and when it died with a bloodcurdling shriek he flipped off its back and landed in a crouch. He stood up, staring at the nearly knee deep mass of spider corpses that littered the forest floor for a moment, and then with a compulsion he couldn't explain, whirled around to look at Erwin.

Erwin was staring at him too from just a few feet away. They were both panting heavily and covered in blood and spider guts, and they stood in silence taking each other in. Erwin’s eyebrows were raised, the look he was giving Levi almost one of amazement, but then he suddenly smiled widely and the golden aura surrounding him started floating away in hundreds of tiny, glittering sparkles.

Levi wiped at his brow, cringing at the slime he felt on his face. His heart was beating so fast, the bloodrush he’d felt while fighting making him feel excited and flushed. The warm, rousing feeling surging through him only made it worse, and he looked at Erwin, standing there tall and golden in front of him and covered in sweat, and licked his lips. For a brief moment, Levi considered doing a lot of other things to him rather than killing him. But when Erwin smiled at him, the sudden appearance of the sparkles broke him out of his reverie.

“What are you sparkling like that for?” He blurted out, and then paused, wondering again if Erwin had experienced the same feeling.  “What the hell did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Erwin said, sheathing his sword. He looked behind him, to where Mike was standing several yards away. He’d apparently gotten cornered and had to fight quite a few spiders off himself. The entire area surrounding him was suspiciously green and covered in flowers from his strange nature magic, but he too seemed to have made it unscathed.

Levi tightened his grip on both his daggers and looked between them. The high he’d felt while fighting was rapidly fading, and with it the strange connection he’d felt to Erwin. He tensed, remembered why he was here and thought about his ruined plan. He could try to kill them both now, but he honestly was not sure he could. Not like this and not after he’d expended nearly all of his energy fighting the spiders. He wasn’t even sure that’d he’d be able to get close enough to poison them since they suspected what he was up to, if there was even any of the deadly concoction left on his weapons.

"Your fighting skills are impressive." Erwin said, directing his attention back to him. He was looking at Levi intently, studying him now, and he spoke again when Levi didn't answer, only gritted his teeth and looked away.

"You aren't going to talk, are you? Were you really trying to kill me? Are you going to run away?"

Levi stared into the dark forest, Erwin's questions making him think. He was giving him an opportunity to escape, it seemed, regardless of whether he suspected Levi was trying to kill him or not. He could run, return to town that night as he'd originally planned. He'd turn up empty handed though, without the paladin's head, the job a failure. If he could get out of this now, find some way to lie and make them believe him, then he could try again. He'd find another way to kill him when he had another chance, and he could then go back to town and they'd get paid.

"I wasn't trying to kill you." Levi said finally, sheathing his daggers as a sign of submission. "I had to take a piss, that's why I left the camp. I saw you glowing out here and knew you were headed into a spider nest. I've been in these woods before."

"Bullshit! Erwin, come on, he’s a rogue. I saw him." Mike said, moving to stand behind Erwin.

"I see." Erwin said, after taking a moment to consider Mike’s words. "So you were trying to warn me, is that it?"

He stared at Levi, his blue eyes meeting Levi's grey ones, and Levi felt like he had in the city before they left, like Erwin was looking right through him and knew he was lying. The look he was giving Levi was unreadable, but despite his words, Levi was sure for a moment that there was no way he believed what he actually just said. He steeled himself anyway, though, willing himself to look peaceable, and nodded.

"In that case, letting someone with your level of skill go would be a waste. Mike, make sure he's watched carefully, and that the others know he's to ride at the front of the formation so we can keep an eye on him."

Levi clenched his jaw, burying the protest that suddenly boiled inside him. That wasn't what he wanted at all. He'd be closer to the paladin, true, but they obviously still did not trust him and if he was to be watched it might be more difficult for him to sneak off for the kill.

Mike moved forward at Erwin's order, approaching Levi and bringing one huge hand up to grasp his shoulder. His grip was bordering on painful, and when Levi looked at him he could tell he disagreed with Erwin’s decision. He shoved him forward so hard he almost fell, and Levi couldn’t help but give him a challenging glare as he started walking. He was going to kill him too, he decided, if he got the chance.

"Wait." Erwin said quietly, moving to step right in front of Levi and into his space, his presence imposing and so close he could touch him if he wanted to. "Tell me your name."

Levi looked up at him, stared from where he only came up to his chest and into his face. He was still sparkling, just barely, and Levi swallowed thickly, not understanding the way his heart suddenly seemed to leap into his throat when he looked at him. He recalled the thrill he'd felt fighting next to him, the excitement rushing through his veins and this time, when his eyes met Erwin’s, he thought he saw a flicker of interest there to match what he was suddenly feeling in his gut.

“Levi.” He conceded finally, shivering at the look in Erwin's eyes, his voice tight.

They trudged back to camp, their footsteps loud and heavy in the silence of the forest, and Mike shoved Levi back towards his tree. He was allowed to sleep there, but with Mike and whoever was on guard duty next sitting beneath it. Levi barely slept. He tossed and turned, the anger and disappointment and confusion he felt at the night’s events making him restless.

It should have been simple. He should have been halfway back to the city right now with Erwin’s head. There was really nothing he could have done, though, how could he have known that damned druid would smell his poisons? He was lucky they hadn’t killed him or kicked him out of the group, but now it was going to be much harder to get the paladin alone since they were suspicious of him.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Erwin either, and how he’d felt when they were fighting together. He’d felt alive, full of adrenaline and stronger than he’d ever felt, like he could do anything. Not to mention how he'd felt immediately afterward, with desire and heat pooling in his belly and the sudden urge to shove Erwin up against a tree and kiss him. He was attractive and Levi had wanted him in that moment, he would admit it. He didn’t understand what had happened or why he had felt so connected to him, but it didn’t matter. It was probably just the adrenaline rushing through him or something, anyway. He was there to kill this man, not fuck him.

Levi thought about what he had seen Erwin doing in the woods too, holding the parchment and mumbling like he was casting a spell, and the strange purple glow. It reminded Levi of the man in the hood, with the swirling black darkness that hid his face and the similar glow he emitted. The thought made him uneasy. In the bar, he had wondered why the man wanted Erwin dead, and had considered the fact that they might be biting off more than they could chew. That man had reeked of dark magic, but Erwin was a paladin, a being of good, right?

Levi stared out into the darkness, at where he knew the paladin was lying. Even asleep, he gave off the faintest of golden glows. Against the shadows and limited moonlight in the forest, it almost looked eerie. Was he really what he seemed? He only wondered for his own safety, and for the sake of the job. Would he go to kill him again, and get attacked with some kind of dark magic?

If this job were under any other circumstances, Levi would take the time out to watch his target, studying him to perhaps learn of anything that might put him in danger. He didn’t have that luxury here though, not when every day of traveling took him deeper into the wilderness. Besides, he owed it to Farlan and Isabel to get back to the city with Erwin’s head. He would try again tomorrow, and hope for the best.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You were poisoned, do you remember?” Erwin said, eyes on him. Levi nodded.

The next morning, Levi was awakened suddenly by someone violently jostling him. It was the druid, frowning and looking up at him from beneath his shaggy fringe, one hand wrapped around Levi’s leg which was hanging out of the tree and shaking him awake.

He opened his eyes to the sounds of the camp coming alive and packing up, giving the druid the most sour look he could muster and jerking his foot away. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, looking around sleepily. It was early morning and barely light outside, the surrounding forest covered in a blanket of silence. Many stars were still visible through the treetops, and the air was damp with dew.

If Levi wasn’t so exhausted he would have considered it peaceful, but he’d barely gotten any sleep the night before. He’d tossed and turned on his branch, his body tense with worry and his mind unable to unwind itself from his failure to kill Erwin. When he finally fell into a fitful sleep after what seemed like a few hours, he dreamed about purple light and all of the defeated spiders rising from the dead to attack them again.

He dropped out of the tree silently and looked around. Everyone was either eating breakfast, or packing up and readying their horses for the day’s travel. Levi dug around in his pack for an apple and munched on that, observing everyone and hoping that Erwin’s orders to keep an eye on him would be forgotten. He had no such luck, of course, because when the group started mounting up he heard a loud whistle.When Levi looked up he saw it was the druid, frowning at him and waving him over. Levi stared at him, trying to discern if he was, in fact, whistling for him like he was a dog, until he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Nanaba, the cleric.

“I understand we’re supposed to keep an eye on you.” She spoke to him in elvish, and took the reins of his horse, leading it forward. Levi reluctantly followed her. “Erwin will have his reasons for that, but if you’re trustworthy, don’t mind Mike.”

“I don’t plan on it.” Levi said, shooting Mike a defiant look.

Levi was stuck between Mike and Hanji in the group’s formation, and just behind Erwin. How ironic, he thought irritably, to be placed so close behind the person he was planning to kill. Once they started traveling, he spent most of the day staring at Erwin’s back. He thought it would help him focus on what he had to do, but instead he found himself admiring his neck without imagining his blade pressed against it, and the way his hair looked when glimpses of sunlight broke through the forest.

It was distracting, and by the time midday rolled around, Levi was becoming increasingly frustrated with himself and his situation. Hanji had decided since he was new, he needed to know about all of her insane magical theories and hypotheses surrounding the titans. Levi had stopped listening after the first five minutes, but she had not stopped talking all morning and he thought if he didn’t get away from her he was going to pull his hair out. Even Mike’s unfriendly silence was better than that, but when Levi looked over at him during one of Hanji’s more excited explanations, he wore an amused smirk, like he found Levi’s torture to be funny.

He tried to focus on his surroundings. He would have thought they would have left the forest to go back to the road, but when they’d left camp Erwin just led them deeper into it. These woods were dark, but not thick enough so that they couldn’t travel through them. Levi found the pine scented air refreshing, and how quiet it was despite Hanji carrying on and the sounds of their horses.

Luckily, they didn’t run into anymore spiders, and by evening they reached a loud river cutting a deep canyon through the forest floor. Levi heard it raging long before they came upon it, and when they did he led his horse right up to the edge of the cliffs, looking down to take in the sight.

“Careful, Levi.” He heard Erwin say, coming up behind him so suddenly that Levi hadn’t sensed him. His face was blank, but Levi thought he sensed a faint hint of amusement in his voice, and when Levi scowled at him automatically the corner of his mouth turned up just enough so that a few sparkles lit up around him.

“For fuck’s sake…” Levi muttered to himself, squinting, and steered his horse away in irritation.

“We seem to be further south than I thought.” Levi heard Erwin say to Mike, then the sounds of him unrolling a scroll.

Levi assumed it was a map, and then a few moments later after a quick discussion they began following the river north. The forest had become thicker the further they’d traveled into it, and it was rapidly becoming dark now that the sun was going down. Hanji lit up a few torches, this time without catching herself on fire, and passed them around the group.

Finally, they came to a stone bridge that crossed over the river. It looked old, and it was covered in moss and grass. The canyon was not so deep here, and after Erwin led them over they backtracked along the other side of the river until they came upon a cluster of large rocks. Levi had wondered if Erwin was looking for another past campsite, and when they moved between the boulders he saw that he was right. Just like the night before there was the remains of an old fire. Hanji reignited it, and Nanaba got to work cooking what looked like some kind of stew in a large pot.

Levi managed to sneak off into the darkness after he tied his horse to a tree. He had glimpsed a manageable path down to the river on their way to the rocks, and was desperate to wash himself off. After two days of travel, a fight with a horde of spiders, and a night spent sleeping in a tree, he felt grimy and disgusting. He reached the water easily with the moonlight and his sharp eyesight guiding his way, and sat down on a rock to remove his cloak, boots, and leather gherkin.

Here, the river was much calmer than it was when they’d first come upon it and Levi was able to wade out until the water was up to his waist. It was cool and refreshing, and he sighed in contentment when he got to work washing the dirt off his skin. He ducked his head under once to wet his hair, and was so focused on scrubbing his scalp that he didn’t hear Erwin approaching from the camp until he spoke.

“Enjoying the water, Levi?” He said, and Levi whirled around, startled. How the fuck had Erwin snuck up on him? He was an elf, and on top of that, a rogue. His senses were incredibly sharp and fine-tuned; he had never met a human who could sneak up on him. Well, until now, anyway.

Erwin was standing near the same rock where Levi had left his clothes and, unfortunately, his daggers, the moonlight mixing with his golden glow and shining off his hair and cheekbones. Some of the surprise Levi felt must have shown on his face, because Erwin’s lips parted and his brows drew slightly in confusion.

“Ah, I startled you. Please forgive me. I didn’t know I’d find you here, but I’m glad I did. We all thought you had left.” He said amicably.

Levi opened his mouth to respond - irritated that his absence had been noticed so quickly - but closed it again when he saw Erwin’s eyes flicker over his naked chest. He felt exposed, and the tips of his pointy ears grew warm instantly, and with no where else to hide, he bent his knees and sank down into the water until it was up to his chin, glaring at Erwin.

Erwin’s expression didn’t change, and to both Levi’s confused delight and horror, Erwin started taking his armor off. He removed his shield first, leaning it against the rock, and undid the belt that held his sword up. It hit the ground with a heavy clunk, and his boots, gauntlets and the pieces that made up his metal leggings were next. Levi watched him, almost in disbelief, and when he started removing his breastplate he spoke.

“Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” He asked, his voice failing to emulate how offended he truly felt.

“I’m going to take a bath. Isn’t that what you’re doing?” Erwin said.

Levi started to protest, hoping that he could think of something to make Erwin leave so that he could get to his daggers and stab him while his back was turned. He couldn’t believe this. He’d worried all night and half the day about his chances of getting Erwin alone again without raising suspicion, and now here he was, coming to Levi on his own and stripping off his armor, and Levi had foolishly left his weapons yards away on the bank. He cursed inwardly at himself and at his shitty luck. There was no way for him to get his daggers without Erwin noticing, and for him to have the best chances of killing him, Levi depended on the element of surprise.

Also, what the fuck? He’d been bathing here first.

Unfortunately, Levi could not come up with any way to make Erwin leave, especially not when Erwin removed his breastplate and stretched and he found his thoughts trailing off. The tunic he wore underneath his armor rose up, revealing to Levi the tops of his hip bones and the beginnings of a trail of blonde hair on his lower belly. Levi couldn’t tear his eyes away if he wanted to, which, he was begrudgingly willing to admit to himself, he didn’t want to do. Erwin removed his tunic, revealing a broad chest and trim waist, and Levi felt his ears grow even warmer and the red flush spread to his cheeks.

Fuck, was this guy even real? With the golden glow that surrounded him, he looked like some sort of unearthly being and Levi couldn’t even figure out if he was doing this on purpose or not. He seemed oblivious to the way Levi was staring at him, but when Erwin glanced at him as he headed into the water Levi tore his eyes away sharply, looking out to the side at anything but Erwin. He was irritated at himself, disappointed that he’d have a chance here if only he had his daggers, and at how ridiculous he felt for ogling the man he was supposed to kill. Not to mention the embarrassing way his cock had twitched in his pants with interest when he’d seen Erwin’s bare chest.

The man was built, and Levi did not doubt that he could hold him down easily if he wanted to. He only thought of it because he’d have to make even more sure that when he killed him, he did it quickly and stayed out of arm’s reach. The thought made him flush hot though, and he gritted his teeth sharply and rose up.

He started trudging for the bank just as Erwin reached a deep spot in the water a few feet away from him, and whirled around when he suddenly spoke.

“Wait, before you go, I just wanted to thank you for staying with us. You're an excellent fighter, and I think once everyone sees that it will be good for the group's morale. And - oh, Levi, look out!”

Levi heard it just as Erwin’s eyes went wide: snarling, hissing, and the sounds of feet trampling through the brush at the edges of the forest. He cursed and spun, and crouched as low as he could in the water when his instincts told him to duck. Some kind of four legged creature flew over his head, and Levi heard Erwin shouting a spell and then a loud splash. Had it hit him? Levi did not have time to find out.

Before his eyes, multiple creatures were appearing, scaly, monstrous lizard looking things with rows of razor sharp teeth and glowing purple eyes. There were about ten of them counting the one behind him, and without wasting another second Levi darted out of the water and sprinted for his weapons. The closest lizard leapt at him and he dodged, throwing himself out of its way and rolling towards the rock. He pulled his daggers out of their sheaths as he stood up, dropping into a defensive stance and backing up to look around him.

“Levi!” He heard Erwin shout suddenly.

Levi looked over at the lizards that were pacing in front of him, hissing and lashing their tails angrily, to where Erwin was standing in the water. He was glowing brightly, a thick, wavering shield of light surrounding him that he was using to keep two of the lizards at bay. He didn’t have his sword, of course, it was still in its sheath on the bank. Levi knew his magic bubble would not last forever, and after assessing the size and amount of the lizard creatures Levi didn’t think twice. He leapt over to where Erwin’s sword lay, picking it up with one hand and throwing it to him.

Erwin caught it and pulled it out of its sheath, and Levi had a glimpse of him gripping the blade with both hands, the muscles in his arms bulging and water dripping from the hair hanging in his face. He grit his teeth in concentration and swung his sword, decapitating one of the lizards just as his shield expired.

Levi felt his chest swell as he turned back, the same feeling he’d felt the night before filling his blood with strength and determination. He’d had to jam one of his daggers into the dirt to grab Erwin’s sword, and he pulled it out of the ground and rolled again as another lizard leapt at him. Faster than he could blink, he jumped up and onto the creature’s back, trying to stab it in the back of the neck like he had with the spiders the night before.

Unfortunately, these creatures weren’t going to be as easy to kill, and Levi cursed when his blades barely penetrated the thick scales and flipped off. Although there were certainly less of them, these monsters were much bigger than the spiders and were covered with hard, scaly armor. Their underbellies and necks were uncovered, but they moved quickly and low to the ground on all fours. Levi tightened his grip on his daggers and sprinted forward again, the inspiring feeling flowing through his veins making him quicker just as it had before. Another lizard leapt at him just as he was hoping, and he ducked, raising his arms to slice at its belly. He was already spinning around to face the next one before its body hit the ground, barely missing sharp fangs that were dripping with saliva.

 _Disgusting_ , he thought to himself, before leaping onto its back and stabbing it in the side of its neck with one of his blades. It let out a horrible screech of pain, and Levi sensed the tail swinging at him from behind too late to dodge. It struck him in the side and he was thrown off, hitting the ground with jarring force. Another lizard was charging at him before he’d hit the ground, and he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, waiting for the sharp sting of claws that never came. Instead, he heard the loud shout of Erwin bellowing a spell, and he was suddenly enveloped in bright, warm light.

The lizard bounced off the shield, and Levi saw Erwin standing a few feet away, holding his sword in one hand and his other arm outstretched to cast the spell. His aura was shining so bright it made Levi squint, and a quiet type of anger and determination coming off of him in waves. He looked terrifying as he strode forward, his face drawn in intense concentration, and as he fought his huge sword made the lizard’s armor seem like paper. Levi felt his breath returning to him, strength soaring inside him with Erwin so close, and he scrambled up quickly. Together, they made quick work of the remaining lizards, finishing them off in less than a minute, and when the last one had collapsed Levi turned to look up at Erwin with wide eyes. He was reminded of the night before after they’d finished fighting, but this time there was no Mike and they were alone.

Erwin was standing with his back to him, looking at him over his shoulder. His face was colored with exertion and his chest was heaving, and the way he was looking at Levi, with his lips parted and eyes wide, made something like excitement suddenly coil tight in his belly. Erwin dropped his sword and turned, and for a second Levi actually thought he was going to grab him and kiss him, but then he seemed to realize where they were and what had just happened and he snapped out of it. He immediately returned back to his calm, composed self and looked away sharply, at the body of the closest lizard and picked up his sword again. He walked over, lifted its head up with his blade to stare at its face.

“I’ve never seen anything like these creatures before, have you, Levi?” Erwin said, turning its head this way and that with his sword. “Its strange, being attacked like this two nights in a row. If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone was trying to kill me.”

Erwin bent, lifting the creature’s eyelid and staring thoughtfully. Before, they had been glowing purple, but now there was nothing but an inky blackness. Levi would have laughed in irony at his words if his eyes hadn’t suddenly locked onto the back of Erwin’s neck. It was completely exposed, and the paladin was crouched and unsuspecting in front of him. This was his chance - the perfect time to strike. They were alone, and Erwin would surely be weakened from his fight and how much magic he’d used. He grit his teeth, pushing out every other thought from his mind and took a step forward, but immediately stopped when he felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over him.

He felt sweaty all of a sudden, his skin flushing hot and cold at the same time and finally noticed a stinging sensation on his arm. When he looked down, he saw a bloody gash, and his eyes widened when he realized he’d been injured in the fight earlier. Feeling nauseous now, the pain in his arm growing by the second, he glanced at the tail of one of the lizard’s and saw a row of spikes lining the tip of it.

“Shit!” He cursed, swaying on his feet, his head starting to spin.

He dropped to the ground, landing on his ass and placing his head in his hands, trying to focus on not panicking and to breathe. He’d worked with poisons for long enough to know the symptoms of it, and the spikes on the lizard’s tail told him all he needed to know.

“Levi, what’s wrong?” Erwin asked. Levi heard his footsteps approaching, sensed him bending down in front of him. “You’re hurt, why didn’t you say something?”

Erwin grabbed his arm, placed his fingertips against it and started chanting a healing spell. Levi’s skin grew warm and tingly but the wound was full of poison, and he didn’t have to look when Erwin stopped to know that it hadn’t closed.

“It’s poison, you idiot.” Levi gasped. His hands were shaking now, and his vision was swimming. Blackness danced at the corners of his eyes, and the painful, burning sensation from his wound had grown almost along his entire arm. He couldn’t sit up anymore, and he fell backward, Erwin’s shocked face the last thing he saw before he passed out.

  
  


When Levi awoke, the first thing he noticed was that he was in a city. Before he even opened his eyes he heard the familiar noises of a loud and busy street, and the ever present smell of shit that never went away when you were in a town. The second thing he noticed was that someone had a hold of his arm, and there was a strange sensation coursing through it.

He’d been groggily stirring, but once he remembered who he was with and why, his eyes shot open and he jerked up with a start.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Levi snapped, his voice slurring from sleep.

He was talking to Mike, who was the one holding onto his arm. He had been casting some sort of spell which Levi interrupted, the green light coming from his hand dissipating into hundreds of tiny, glowing sparkles when he stopped. “Are you casting a spell on me?!”

Mike frowned, scratching at his beard. He gave Levi a glance that said he was exasperated with him already, and pushed him back down. Levi’s back hit the wooden surface of the cart he was lying in hard, and he cursed, trying to squirm out of Mike’s grip. Mike was strong, though, and Levi felt weak. Actually, he realized, didn’t feel very well at all. He felt almost feverish, lightheaded and dizzy, and his vision was swimming a little.

Suddenly, a jolt of panic shot through him. Why the hell was he in this cart, and what the fuck was Mike doing to him? Where was he? The last thing he remembered was being in a forest, fighting a bunch of lizards and getting injured. Hadn’t he been poisoned? His thoughts started spinning in his head, the uncertainty getting to him and making him confused. All he knew was that he wanted to get away from Mike immediately because he didn’t trust him, and he started thrashing and struggling in earnest, a hand flying out in an attempt to hit the druid in the head.

“Erwin!” Mike shouted, catching his arm easily.

Levi froze, his near panic gone just as suddenly as it had started. Erwin appeared over Mike’s shoulder after a moment, and Levi’s eyes widened. He looked bright and golden in the sunlight, and the memory of seeing his face right before he’d passed out by the river flashed through his mind. Erwin had looked surprised and concerned then, and although he was looking down at Levi as calmly as he usually was now, there was something in his eyes that might have been relief. Levi swallowed; suddenly, his heart was hammering in his chest in a way that had nothing to do with how anxious he felt.

“Levi,” Erwin said, reaching into the cart to place a hand on his chest. “You’re alright, just breathe. Mike is trying to heal you.”

His voice was even and calm, and his hand was warm against Levi’s skin through the cloth of his tunic. It was soothing somehow, the pressure firm but gentle and not at all threatening like Mike’s grip had been. He took a breath to steady himself like Erwin said, and he felt calmer. He didn’t feel any less sick though, and suddenly his stomach lurched. This time when he shot up Mike did not stop him, and he launched himself at the side of the cart so he could lean over and promptly retch loudly right beside Erwin’s feet.

“Ah.” Erwin said, stepping to the side to avoid any splatter. “That would be the after effects of the poison, correct?”

He was asking Mike, and Levi sensed the druid nodding an affirmative. He could almost sense the smirk radiating off of him too, and Levi’s fingers gripped the edges of the cart in anger and embarrassment. He remembered things more clearly now, the wound he’d gotten from one of those fucking lizards and the poison suddenly overtaking him. It had all happened so fast that he’d barely had time to react to what was going on, but he remembered Erwin trying to heal him and failing before he’d passed out. Poison that affected you as fast as that had was usually deadly, so how was he still alive?

Erwin shoved a skin of water under Levi’s nose and he took it sullenly, washing out his mouth and taking a long drink. He felt a lot better after puking, as disgusting as it had been, and he sat back in the cart and stared at his lap.

“Alright.” He said, willing to accept the situation for the moment because he wanted some answers. “What happened?”

“You were poisoned, do you remember?” Erwin said, eyes on him. Levi nodded.

“After you fell unconscious, I carried you back up to camp. You had almost stopped breathing by the time we got there, but fortunately Mike was able to stop the poison from spreading any further quickly and keep you alive.”

Mike sniffed, and Levi lifted his head to look at him. He had slung both his arms casually over the side of the cart and was leaning against it while Erwin told his story, but when he felt Levi’s gaze upon him he gave him an unreadable look from the side. So the druid had saved him somehow, obviously under Erwin’s orders. Mike had made it pretty obvious that he didn’t trust Levi, and he wondered if he had argued with Erwin about whether to heal him or not.

“He said it was one of the strongest poisons he’s ever come across, and even though he was able to stop its effects he didn’t know how to cure it. We had to keep you asleep so we could make sure you remained stable while he figured out the right spell. This morning he found one that worked, but he needs to finish treating the wound on your arm so he can make sure its completely gone.”

“What? You used a sleeping spell on me? For how the fuck long?!” Levi said in near disbelief. He’d barely heard anything else that Erwin said after that, anger and frustration at his situation exploding inside him suddenly.

“Only two nights, counting the one you were hurt. It was the only way, Levi. You might have died if we hadn’t done it. Mike did his best to stop the poison from spreading, but he didn’t know what would happen if you woke up. There was nothing I or anyone else could do until we cured it.” Erwin explained, his calm voice a direct contrast to Levi’s raised one. That only made Levi feel angrier and more distressed though, and he placed his head in his hands and fisted his fingers into his hair.

“Fuck!” He groaned, then looked up again to give Erwin an accusatory glance. “What did you do with my gear?”

He’d realized he was only wearing his cloak, pants, and boots, and his weapons and leather armor were missing.

“Your things are up here.” Erwin said, gesturing to the front seat of the cart. “Your horse is with the others. We had to stable them when we arrived in town. Will you let Mike finish healing your arm now, Levi?”

He asked him carefully, like he would actually let Levi say no if he wanted to. He didn’t really want the druid touching him, especially if he was going to be casting strange spells, but his arm was stiff and even though he felt better, he knew that this was the fastest way to get back to normal. And that was something that needed to happen as quickly as possible, because even though so much had gone completely and utterly wrong, he still had a job to do.

Levi nodded, and watched out of the corner of his eye as Mike scooted forward to lift up the edge of his cloak.

“What the hell? That better not be shit.” Levi said, glimpsing a strange, greenish-brown substance that was dried onto his wound. It smelled like rotten plants and he cringed, suddenly feeling like he was going to retch again. Mike only rolled his eyes, and Erwin eyed him with a strange amusement.

He wasn’t at all put off by Levi’s stinginess or anger, while Levi could tell Mike could not wait to get away from him. How could Erwin be so patient, Levi wondered, when he had saved his life and he wasn’t even giving him so much as a thank you in response? Well, he wasn’t going to get one, so Levi hoped he wasn’t expecting it. He hadn’t asked Erwin to save him, he thought, trying to get the image of Erwin carrying him back to camp out of his mind. It made him feel something underneath the anger and exasperation, a feeling of warmth blossoming in his chest and then guilt, neither of which he could afford to acknowledge right now.

Mike started casting his spell again, mumbling some words in an off-putting tongue Levi had never heard before. Druids were strange and their magic was even weirder, based on nature and more ancient compared to most types of magic used now. Green light swirled from his hand and around Levi’s arm, and he felt the familiar tingling sensation that meant he was being healed. This time Mike wasn’t interrupted, and when the spell was finished Levi swore there were more flowers in his beard than there had been before. His arm felt good as new though, and to his credit, he didn’t even flinch when Mike bent to sniff it.

He nodded, apparently satisfied with whatever he smelled. “The poison is gone. He’ll be back to normal in a few hours once his arm fully heals.”

“Good. Thank you, Mike.” Erwin said. Levi swore he saw Mike roll his eyes when he moved to reach for a new bandage, but he was stopped when Erwin took it from him. “I’ll take over from here. Nanaba is probably waiting for you at the tavern by now, if you want to go join her.”

Mike gave him a very obvious disapproving glance, looking from him to Levi, but said nothing. He shrugged and climbed out of the cart, while Erwin took Levi’s arm in one of his hands. He wasn’t wearing his gauntlets, and his fingers were gentle, barely brushing against Levi’s skin as he carefully wrapped the bandage over his wound. Erwin was looking at him, Levi could see from the corner of his eye, studying him in the way Levi had seen him do several times now. His touch felt nice, Levi had to admit, even though he wasn’t sure why he was doing this or why he was even allowing it.

“I’m sorry you were injured, Levi. I believe those creatures were after me and you just got caught up in the middle. I would certainly never expect anyone to risk their life for my own in such a situation, but I’m not sure what would have happened if you hadn’t been there to toss me my sword. ” Erwin said, and Levi averted his eyes, now wishing Erwin would just leave and stop talking.

He was making him feel angry again, only because his words fed the whisperings of his conscious that continued to grow in the back of his mind. He’d only thrown Erwin his sword in the interests of saving his own skin; if he thought he could’ve defeated the lizards by himself, he would have done so and not worried about the other man.

“You fought very bravely, though.” Erwin continued, pausing to look down at his work and then flick his eyes back up to Levi again. “You reacted quickly when you saw that your daggers couldn’t cut through their armor, and figured out how to kill them almost immediately.”

Levi grit his teeth. So what, why was he saying all of this? He stopped talking after that, but Levi could not even begin to fathom a response because Erwin had finished bandaging him and still had a hand on his arm. He was still holding him, his fingers wrapped around his bicep firmly like he thought he was going to bolt and run away.

“Are you going to let go of me?” Levi said after a moment, in a stiff voice.

“Oh.” Erwin said, like he hadn’t even realized he was still touching him. He removed his hand, but did not leave. “My apologies. We're staying here for the night. There are rooms in the inn, but you might have to share with someone. Levi, do you-"

He was interrupted suddenly by someone shouting at him from down the street. Through the crowd, Levi saw that it was Mike, standing next to someone else and waving him over. Erwin frowned, staring at him and thinking for a moment before he turned back to Levi.

"Will you stay put for a moment?" Erwin asked him, and Levi found himself nodding. Erwin's tone of voice had changed before he'd been interrupted, and he was suddenly curious about what he was going to ask.

Erwin walked off, and Levi watched him make his way through the throngs of people. The street was packed, despite it being close to evening based on the setting sun. Merchant stands lined the edges and people milled about them busily, browsing the goods and haggling with the sellers. Levi had lost sight of Erwin's back and was staring at a stand full of fruit, trying to ignore his now growling stomach, when a man wearing a blue and gold sash and a blue cape walked into his field of vision.

"Shit!" Levi hissed under his breath suddenly when the man caught his eye, recognizing the sash and cape instantly. What city did Erwin say they were in again?

Tilting his head back, Levi glimpsed the top of a tall, fancy looking building towering above the rest, immediately noticing the impressive gilded dome that it was topped with. The building was easily recognizable, and was a sight he was familiar with: it was the headquarters of the merchant’s guild, which meant he was in the city of Trost. Shit, he thought again, slightly more panicked and looking around frantically. He spotted another man with the same decorations at the end of the street, his blue sash and cape clearly visible. In fact, there were many more of them now that he was looking, standing apart between every couple of merchant stands. They were members of Trost’s city guard, known for exercising strict control over the city and their low tolerance for criminals.

Levi began to sweat. This was not good, not good at all. A few years back he’d run into some trouble with the merchant’s guild for stealing, and had ended up in the city guard’s prison. He’d managed to escape and hadn’t been to Trost since because it was likely that his face had been plastered onto wanted posters all over the town for months afterward. That had been so long ago, though, surely they wouldn’t still be after him, right?

He looked over to where Erwin had disappeared, remembering that Mike had been standing with someone else when he’d called for him. Through the crowd, he got a glimpse of Erwin, Mike, and the other man, who was sure enough wearing the blue sash and cloak that marked him as a member of the guard. As he watched them talk, the man pointed in Levi’s direction, and both Erwin and Mike turned to look at him.

 _Fuck._ Levi thought, his eyes widening. Now he was really in fucking trouble.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I'm so bad at responding to comments but they are all very much appreciated, thank you everyone who had read so far! Nile will be in the next chapter (and eruri blow jobs soon).


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you here to spy on me?” Erwin asked, his eyes searching.
> 
> “No.” Levi snapped quickly in response, caught off guard again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> or: Levi is confused and horny.

“ _Fuck!_ Goddamn pigs!” Levi spit out, realizing when the guard pointed at him that he had to get away, and fast.

He jolted forward in the cart to grab at his belt and daggers, fastening his gear on hastily even as he spilled out onto the street, pulling his hood up and bolting down the alley they were parked next to. He ran all the way down to where it opened onto another street, slowing down to blend into the crowd seamlessly. He walked quickly, dodging passersby and keeping his head down because there were guards on this street too, and entered another alley where he could run until he reached the next street. The guard that had been talking to Erwin had seen him run for sure, and he assumed that they were after him already. It probably wouldn’t be long until every fucking guard in the city was alerted, and he only had so long to find somewhere to hide.

He couldn’t believe this, he thought, grinding his teeth as he wove in and out of streets and crowds of people. It had been years, were they seriously still so focused on catching him that some random guard on the street recognized him? Levi couldn’t even remember exactly what he did, either. He’d either done a job for a noble in the merchant’s guild and stolen his jewels in the process, or gotten hired to steal someone else’s jewels but then ended up selling them to a different merchant for a price higher than the reward. Either way, he was sure he hadn’t killed anyone that time, so he felt like the city guard should have better things to do then to ruthlessly hunt down someone for petty thievery.

Well, when he thought about it, the city guard were known for being strict, not bright, so Levi was not actually surprised. But he was still irritated at this throwing another wrench into his plan. Of all the fucking cities in the region, why did Erwin have to pick Trost? There were certainly more friendlier and hospitable ones nearby, were they really that low on supplies or whatever that they had to stop here?

He walked briskly, eyes widening under his hood when he saw a guard member heading his way through the crowd, and ducked into another narrow alley. He didn’t even know where he was going, only that he had to get somewhere quiet and out of sight fast. Maybe there was a bar or somewhere he could go to at the edge of town to hide out - surely there was some shady tavern somewhere that the guards didn’t bother with, right? He seemed to remember one across Trost’s river that criminals frequented, if only he could remember exactly where it was.

Levi turned a corner out of the alley and onto a less busy street, caught up in his thoughts, and cursed under his breath when he immediately almost ran right smack dab into a group of people who were exiting a building. He got an eyeful of blue and gold sashes as he dodged, stumbling to the side in favor of crashing into them. He swore again when one of them turned to look at the commotion beside them, just as Levi was throwing his body in another direction to try to break out into a run.

“Hey! Stop right there, rogue!” One of them yelled, and before he could escape Levi was immediately grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground so a heavy boot could be jammed into his back.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Levi spat, getting an eyeful of the disgusting, filthy street. Another guard approached him, and as he came into view in front of him he caught a glimpse of the hem of his blue and green robes and realized he was dressed differently from the rest. When he stopped, Levi was roughly hauled up by two of the other guards, held in place and forced to face what was probably the shittiest looking warlock Levi had ever seen.

He was about average height, with dark, shortly cropped hair and a mustache and goatee so thin that Levi would be willing to bet money that he couldn’t grow a full beard. Under his sash and cape, his robes looked alright. They were nothing special, but he had a glowing red stone of some kind hanging around his neck, and a long staff strapped to his back. Levi knew he was a warlock because there was an imp perched on his shoulder, staring down at Levi with tiny dark and beady eyes.

“Look at the little guy!” It said in an obnoxious, nasty voice. Levi glared up at it - he hated imps, they were always rude and annoying creatures - and turned his attention to the warlock who was swatting at his minion.

“Quiet, Dennis.” He said while studying Levi. The imp only cackled in response.

Dennis? _Seriously?_ Who the fuck named their imp Dennis?

“What’s your name?” The warlock asked after a moment.

Levi didn’t answer him, and he sighed irritably like his silence was a huge affront, reaching behind him to pull a scroll from his belt. He unwound it and it fell to the ground, rolling out dramatically for several more yards along the street. It was a list of wanted criminals, Levi saw, sketches of their faces with their crimes listed beneath that.

Levi wasn’t sure if the warlock knew there were other guards after him, but he had no doubt that his face was somewhere on that parchment. When he realized it, he would be arrested and sent to jail. Last time they were ready to hang him just for thievery, so he was sure that would be the fate that awaited him now. He considered making a run for it for half a second, but this street wasn’t near as busy as the others and he could see that there were guards posted all up and down it. He wouldn’t get far, he realized, but still  he slowly shifted his arm to grip the handle of one of his daggers under his cloak. He didn’t want to kill this warlock or anyone else, but there was no way in hell he was going to go back to that smelly prison - if attempting to escape was the only way out of this, then he would at least try.

“I thought you looked familiar.” Shitty Warlock said after a moment, looking from Levi’s face to the parchment. “This looks like you. Levi, is that your name?”

He showed Levi the parchment, raising his eyebrows when Levi scowled at him in a way that was nearly identical to the face he was making in the sketch.

“Arrest him! Arrest the shorty!” The imp shrieked suddenly, tittering and hopping excitedly from one shoulder to the next.

It didn’t have a human face at all, but somehow it managed to look incredibly smug and gleeful about Levi’s pending arrest. Staring at it disdainfully, he decided that if he did have to kill anyone today, the imp was going to die first.

“Yeah, that’s definitely you.” The warlock said, swatting at the demon again before clearing his throat and taking a deep breath. “Looks like you’re wanted for thievery, deception, public intoxication, indecency, heresy, smuggling, racketeering, lies and subterfuge, blasphemy, piracy, offending the merchant’s guild, possession of poisons, trafficking illegal mushrooms, threatening to blackmail the mayor, blackmailing the mayor, impersonating a cleric, attempted murder, murder, assassination, and escaping a hanging. Does that sound right to you?”

Fuck. Apparently these guys not only kept track of the crimes he’d committed in this city, but in all of them. Their power had certainly increased since Levi had last been to Trost, and as he grew more tense, his hand tightened reflexively on his dagger.

“Yeah.” He said finally, eyeing the warlock and the guards positioned behind him. “Except for the piracy. Explain to me this, pig: how can I be guilty of piracy when there are no oceans around here?”

The warlock shrugged. Now that he had read off Levi’s crimes, he looked bored. The imp still looked positively delighted, though, and had snickered through the entire list of offenses.

“That’s what it says here. I don’t question the scroll. Either way, this is enough to hang you about 20 times over, so it doesn’t matter.” He said, and Levi stared incredulously.

“That’s nearly every crime! Are you telling me you hang people for public intoxication? Are people even allowed to do anything in this city, or do they all just stay inside pissing themselves in fear of accidentally looking at someone the wrong way and getting arrested?”

“Public intoxication is offensive to the president of the merchant’s guild.” The man said, sounding as serious as death.

Levi rolled his eyes. Last he’d heard, there had been rumors of the city guard taking orders and bribes from the merchant’s guild. It seemed to be true; if they were arresting people for crimes that one man didn’t like, then they were obviously corrupt.

“Alright, there’s a hanging tomorrow at noon. There are about fifteen others lined up already. Arrest him and hurry up, I’ve got to be home in an hour for dinner.” The warlock ordered. A guard behind him started removing some chains from his belt, and Levi braced himself, preparing to do whatever needed to be done to avoid getting arrested. Just as he was about to strike, he heard a loud voice yelling behind him.

“Hello, Nile! Long time no see, old friend.” Levi’s eyes widened in surprise at the voice. It was fucking Erwin, he realized, just as he strode up between Levi and his approaching arrestor to lay a hand on the warlock’s shoulder. Nile, he was called, apparently.

“Erwin.” Nile said in a voice that suggested he was not excited to see Erwin at all. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Erwin was sparkling when he walked up from the smile he had given Nile, and as soon as it saw him, the imp started making some strange hissing noise that sounded like nails scraping across glass and hid behind Nile’s neck. Demons were, at their core, evil creatures, and thus extremely susceptible to the holy magic that paladins used. Levi did not doubt that this was the reason for Dennis’ suddenly strange behavior. He wanted to smirk, grateful for Erwin’s appearance because it had at least shut the imp up. What else was he doing here, though? Had he followed Levi from the cart?

“My guild is in town. We’re just passing through on our way to the mountains and needed to resupply.” Erwin said. He had not looked at Levi once and still had his hand clasped on Nile’s shoulder in a friendly manner.

“Shit, they let you in here?” Nile said humorlessly, shrugging Erwin’s hand off of him. “I guess I need to have a word with whoever was guarding the gates. What do you want?”

“I was just coming to say hello, but this elf you’re about to arrest is with me and my group.”

“So what? He’s wanted by the city. In fact, I could probably have you arrested for bringing him in here, too.” Nile brought a hand to his chin, visibly thinking as if he was actually considering it.

“Arrest the paladin, he’s smuggling in criminals! Do it! Don’t forget the shorty!” The imp blurted out, suddenly excited again at the prospect of something terrible happening to Erwin.

“Ah, what a delightful creature you have here, Nile.” Erwin said, like he’d just noticed the imp for the first time.

He’d moved to peer around Nile’s back while he spoke to look at it, and although his words were friendly, he was no longer smiling. In fact, he seemed to be giving it a subtly dangerous look that did not match his tone, his eyebrows lowered and his lips pulled down into a frown. Levi was pretty sure he wasn’t imagining his aura growing brighter either, especially when the imp seemed to find his posture threatening and visibly cowered. His gave Erwin another loud hiss, and crawled inside the back of Nile’s robes to disappear.

“I understand he’s committed several crimes, Nile.” Erwin said once it was gone. “But I can’t let you arrest him. He came here with me, and I’ve vouched for the safety of everyone in my group while we’re here.”

“Erwin, that’s bullshit. He’s wanted for over twenty different crimes. He’s a criminal, so I have to arrest him. I don’t make the law, I just go by it.”

Nile took the chains from the other guard and stepped toward Levi, who flinched and started to unsheath his dagger under his cloak. He’d been standing there, tensely watching Erwin and Nile and trying to figure out what was going on. It appeared Erwin was trying to get him out of trouble, but the warlock wasn’t having it. He was determined to arrest him, something that Levi wasn’t going to let happen no matter what. He didn’t want this greasy looking fucker laying a hand on him at all, much less clamping his wrists and ankles in shackles and throwing him in prison.

Nile took another step forward, and Levi unsheathed his dagger under his cloak with a flick of his wrist. Suddenly, Erwin moved, stepping between the two of them and placing his hand gently against Nile’s chest.

“Nile, I think you’re forgetting something. If you talk to the president of the merchant’s guild, you’ll find that he owes me a favor. Remember what happened a few years ago with the titans and the fruit carts? Normally, I would never call in a debt like this, but I cannot allow you to arrest Levi.”

The warlock had seen Levi’s movements under his cloak and realized that he was getting ready to stab him before Erwin had intervened. He stared down at Levi the entire time Erwin was speaking, his eyes narrowed, and only looked up a few moments after he was done, throwing a hand up into the air in irritation.

“God dammit, Erwin! He’s killed people, for devil’s sake! He can’t just be walking around the city, are you crazy? And don’t pull that paladin bullshit on me, I don’t care what you did!”

“With all due respect Nile, that doesn’t matter. Please, talk to the president and I assure you he’ll pardon Levi for all of his crimes.” Erwin paused for a moment, moving to reach inside his armor for something. “Actually, I think I still have the document he gave me.”

What he pulled out was a small, wrinkled scroll, bound by a fancy red ribbon and an intricate wax seal. Nile snatched it out of his hand and ripped it open to read with a scowl. He read quickly, and then shoved it back into Erwin’s chest.

“Fine, take him! But he’s your responsibility, and if he gets into any trouble while you’re here I’m arresting you both, no questions asked.” Nile said, glaring indignantly at them both.

Erwin inclined his head and bowed slightly. “Of course, I understand. I assure you Levi will commit no crimes while he’s here. In fact, I actually believe him to be quite good.”

Nile snorted, and motioned at the other guards to follow him. “Whatever, don’t be surprised when he murders you in your sleep.” He said as he walked off.

Levi watched the warlock’s retreating back, scarcely unable to believe that he wasn’t going to be arrested or forced to stab someone. He let out a long breath, releasing all of the tension that had built up inside him during the encounter, feeling more and more relieved the farther away from them Nile got. As he watched him head down the street, Dennis popped his head out of the back of Nile’s robes to give Levi and Erwin one last beady eyed stare. Levi raised his arm and middle finger in a rude gesture directed at the imp, holding it in the air until he heard Erwin chuckle beside him.

“Levi.” He said, finally turning his eyes upon him for the first time since he’d walked up.

Levi looked up at him and his eyes widened, immediately struck by the expression on the other man’s face. It was a fond glance, his gaze unusually soft and a tentative smile on his lips, like he found Levi’s actions amusing. For some stupid reason Levi’s heart started hammering in his chest and he felt rooted to the spot, like he couldn’t look away even if he wanted to. He didn’t want to though, he found, so he stared up at Erwin until the other man placed a hand on his back between his shoulder blades.

“Come with me, back to the inn.” He said, pushing Levi forward, back in the direction he’d come.

His fingers were brushing against the back of Levi’s neck, warm but firm in their grip, as he all but steered him where he wanted him to go. Levi felt compelled to let him, his ears suddenly burning red, and tried to distract himself from how close Erwin was behind him.

“How’d you know that guy? I didn’t think upstanding paladins like you associated with warlocks.” He asked.

“Hm, Nile? I knew him before he became a warlock. We both planned to become paladins, but then he met a woman and decided to marry her instead.” Erwin explained calmly.

“Seriously? Paladins can’t get married? What are you in, some kind of cult?”

“Our order advises against it, but its not forbidden. We can marry if we wish, but most choose not to. Those kinds of things can interfere with our work, and many find it to be a distraction.”

Levi snorted, rolling his eyes at how high-handed and overbearing that sounded. He’d never understood why anyone would want to be involved in an organization like that, where nearly everything you did was controlled by a series of guidelines.

“No wonder paladins always act like they have a huge stick shoved up their ass.” He said. “It sounds like you’re not allowed to have any fun.”

“Oh, I only said that we didn’t marry, Levi, not that we couldn’t have any fun.” Erwin said, his thumb brushing across the hair at the base of Levi’s neck and making him shiver.

He had bent low so he could speak the words into Levi’s ear, saying the last part in a tone that made his eyes widen. Was Erwin flirting with him, or was it his imagination? It certainly seemed like he was; the way he’d said it made it pretty clear that he wasn’t talking about the innocent kind of fun, like playing cards or going to a fair, or whatever the fuck it was that normal people did to entertain themselves. No, the hand still on him and the way he’d lowered his voice made Levi think about Erwin pressed up against his backside, holding him while he bent to press his lips to his neck instead of speaking into his ear. The thought made him flush and he swallowed, staring ahead as Erwin straightened again.

“Besides, I’m not concerned with what the Order decrees anyway. I believe in doing whatever I have to do to accomplish something, even if it means breaking the rules.” He said, continuing their conversation like nothing had ever happened.

“Are you talking about stopping the bandit attacks?” Levi asked, suddenly curious. Erwin’s words reminded him of what he’d seen the paladin doing the first night he’d tried to kill him. He’d been casting some kind of weird spell in the woods, or trying to, with what looked like the dark iron. Levi hadn’t thought about it since then, but at the time he’d assumed Erwin had been doing something suspicious. Now, remembering his and Hanji’s theories about the titans being controlled, he wondered if perhaps he had been trying to test that theory somehow.

Why was he asking Erwin this, though? It wasn’t supposed to matter. Levi tensed up, realizing what he was doing and reminding himself he was there to kill the other man just as they reached the inn and Erwin stopped.

“I am.” Erwin said, letting his grip on Levi fall away. Suddenly he seemed more serious. “Would you like to come inside, Levi? Let me buy you a drink, and we can talk.”

Levi frowned, watching Erwin disappear inside the doors without waiting for his answer.

 _Dammit…_ He thought, following him inside after a brief moment of deliberation and despite every fiber of his being screaming at him that it was a bad idea.

He stopped when he entered, his eyes adjusting to the dim light of the tavern. It was evening by now so it was crowded, filling up with people coming in for a quick dinner or settling in for a night of drinking. Erwin was easy to find though, lighting up the air around him as usual. He was already seated at a table in the back away from everyone else, looking in Levi’s direction expectantly when he walked in.

“What would you like to drink?” Erwin asked when he sat down.

“If you’re paying, wine.” Levi said, eyeing him indifferently from across the table, determined not to show that he was the least bit curious in what he had to say. He was though, even if he was having difficulty admitting it. He was curious about what Erwin wanted to talk to him about, and curious about Erwin himself. He wanted to know more about him, despite the fact that he could almost feel himself becoming distracted.

“We’ll have a bottle of your best elven wine, please, and a plate of whatever you’re serving tonight for him.” Erwin said after signalling a barmaid over, and then turned back to Levi. “You must be starving.”

Levi shrugged. He _was_ starving, actually. He’d eaten like shit in the days before he’d been poisoned, and he’d had no idea if he’d been fed while he was unconscious. It was more likely that they continued to use healing spells on him to keep him healthy, but now that he was awake his stomach was gnawing at him for a full meal.

The barmaid brought them their wine and two glasses after a moment, setting them down on the table and opening the bottle.

“Wait, these glasses are filthy. Look at this shit, do you seriously expect us to drink out of them?” Levi snapped after a quick glance over, noticing fingerprint smudges, specks of dirt, and the wipe marks from a very obviously greasy rag.

“You kidding? The busboy just washed them, I saw him with my own two eyes.” The barmaid said, looking surprised but obviously irritated. Most people visiting taverns just wanted a drink, and didn’t care about the cleanliness of the glasses it came in. Levi couldn’t help it though, who knew who had used these glasses before them?

“Did he wash them with piss or something? They’re still dirty.”

The barmaid rolled her eyes, but gathered the dirty glasses and walked away. Levi looked at Erwin from the corner of his eye, as if he was daring him to say something. He almost looked amused again though, the corners of his lips turned up in the barest hint of a smile, and Levi suddenly felt like he had to explain himself.

“Have you ever seen the rags they clean these glasses with? Glasses in taverns always smell like shit, so I’m pretty sure they use the same ones they use to clean the chamber pots.”

“Ah.” Erwin said, actually looking rather horrified. “Well, thank you, then.”

Levi blinked, expecting Erwin to mock him and caught off guard by his response. He wasn’t sure what to say after that, feeling out of place, and looked away until the barmaid returned with his plate of food and two glasses that, upon inspection, surprisingly looked clean. He breathed a sigh of relief. Complaining about dirty dishes tended to get him kicked out of taverns, and he’d been embarrassed enough in front of Erwin by almost getting arrested by that stupid warlock already. Not that he cared though, of course.

“These good enough for you?” The barmaid asked Levi.

He eyed them, and then nodded, and she poured them both a full glass of wine before walking off.

“Fuckin’ elves…” Levi heard her mutter under her breath.

He glared at her back and immediately took a long sip of his wine before looking down at his plate. It held a generous heaping of roasted chicken, steaming potatoes, and a huge roll of bread, and his mouth immediately started watering. He made sure no one had visibly spit on it, because that tended to happen to him a lot too after complaining, and then dug in.

Erwin watched him eat, his hands clasped in front of him on the table. Levi didn't realize it at first because he was so focused on eating, but when he looked up to take another drink from his wine glass he noticed Erwin staring.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" He asked, freezing mid-sip.

"No, I've already eaten." Erwin said.

"Oh. Ok."

Levi finished his glass and poured another, and resumed eating slowly. He felt kind of awkward and was starting to regret following Erwin in here. Erwin had asked him to, like he wanted to talk to him about something. But so far he hadn't said much, and Levi had no idea what to say himself, especially when he knew he probably shouldn't even be there in the first place.

"So. Why are we in here again?" He said finally from around a huge mouthful of bread.

"Ah." Erwin said, pausing for a moment to clear his throat. “I’ve been thinking about what happened when we were fighting together. I’m still curious as to where you learned your skills. You move so quick and gracefully, its unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen.”

Levi had started to feel a little more relaxed once he’d started eating. The food was delicious; he needed it, and the wine wasn’t bad either. But whatever slightly above average mood he’d managed to summon up was immediately squashed when Erwin started questioning him. He stopped eating, putting down his fork and the piece of bread to give Erwin a disdainful look.

“I’m an elf. You have another elf in your group, so I know you’ve seen how one fights.”

“I have.” Erwin said, and Levi couldn’t stop his eyes from widening when he realized he was suddenly speaking in elvish. “I’ve seen many elves fight, in fact, but I’ve never seen any that fight quite like you.”

Levi stared at him for a moment before looking away.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, blondie.” He said, in english, because hearing Erwin speak even those few words in elvish immediately had an effect below his waist. Of course, of course, the bastard would speak it perfectly, and in a tone that made him suddenly want to crawl across the table and into his lap. He took another long drink of wine, nearly finishing this glass too, while Erwin paused to think.

“Do you know magic?” He pressed on after a moment.

“What? No, I’m a rogue. Do you know any rogues that do magic?"

"Hm. No." He paused, and then spoke again. "I recognized you, you know. You're always standing in the back of the crowd when we return to town."

Levi swallowed, surprised for a moment at the change of subject and then scowled. “So? Everyone watches, its not just me.”

“Yes, a lot of people do. I want to know why you decided to join, though. Usually I don’t ask, but I’m curious. I want to know more about you.”

The words made Levi’s heart flutter in his chest, but he also had the urge to run, to get up and leave the tavern without saying another word. Not because he felt cornered or pushed, but because what Erwin said made him feel warm, and he was quickly becoming more and more conflicted about what he was actually doing here. But instead of leaving, he reached forward to take another gulp of his drink, refilling the glass a third time before he answered.

“There’s nothing to know. I’m just a rogue.”

“Are you here to spy on me?” Erwin asked, his eyes searching.

“No.” Levi snapped quickly in response, caught off guard again before he immediately spoke in an attempt to turn the question around. “You talk like you have people spying on you all the time. I didn’t think paladins had enemies.”

“I’ve made plenty of enemies.” Erwin said with an odd smile. “But either way, I hope getting poisoned and almost arrested hasn’t made you want to leave.”

“Yeah, yeah, my fighting will inspire the group, I'll be good at killing the titans, whatever." Levi looked down, picking up his fork again to stab at a potato.

"Yes, but that's not what I meant. I was thinking of the way _we_ fight together.”

“Together?” Levi said, glancing up at Erwin from underneath his eyelashes.

The way Erwin was looking at him now was unmistakable, his eyes bright and focusing on Levi with obvious and intense interest. He’d been unclear this entire time and asking him strange questions, so much so that Levi still hadn’t understood why Erwin had invited him in here until now. But the softer tone he’d spoken in and the expression he was giving him was easy to read, and it all reminded Levi of the rush he’d gotten both times they’d fought together. Maybe it was that memory, or the wine he’d had, but he found himself letting his lips linger around the fork after he’d put the potato in his mouth, letting his tongue run over them when he was through. He didn’t miss the way Erwin’s eyes lowered, staring at his lips, nor the subtle way his own parted when he watched him.

Erwin wanted him, he realized. He’d thought maybe he was imagining it earlier outside when Erwin had been flirting with him, but no, now he was sure, and a thrill of excitement ran through him at the thought.

“That was why I asked if you knew magic.” Erwin continued a second later, eyes snapping back up to meet Levi’s. “Didn’t you feel it when we fought? We both got stronger and faster, almost doubly so. It was like a blessing, but I didn’t cast any spells like that. There are scrolls though, things like that you can read, and -”

“I didn’t read a scroll.” Levi interrupted, saying the words quickly. He’d drank two glasses of wine, and had just started on his third. Despite eating most of his meal, it was going to his head quickly and he was finding it harder to control the words coming out of his mouth. “I didn’t cast a spell, or do anything. I don’t know what it is, but I’m pretty sure it saved our asses with those spiders.”

“Yes.” Erwin agreed. He smiled, and the sparkles that lit up around his head in the dark tavern gave his face a warm glow. “It felt good, didn’t it?”

Levi was thankful that his face was already warm from the alcohol, because he felt his ears and cheeks heat up at the way Erwin asked that, his voice barely more than a low purr. It had felt good, just because it had been so exhilarating. It had made the fighting seem almost fun, like a rush, but then afterward it had only taken one look at Erwin, standing there sweaty and panting and hair all in his face each time, to turn it into something else.

Lust was what he felt, especially after the second time when Erwin was shirtless and dripping and wearing only thin, loose pants. Levi’s memories of that night were hazy because of the poison, but he recalled enough to remember the glimpse he’d gotten of Erwin when he’d caught his sword, his muscles rippling and his body blazing with golden magic. He’d had a severe, determined look on his face, and he’d looked almost half terrifying and half like some unyielding hero from children’s tales.

Thinking about it, Levi definitely felt lust now too. He felt flushed and tingly from the alcohol and he seemed to have forgotten about the question Erwin had asked. He’d forgotten about almost everything, really, except for how Erwin’s gaze made him feel hot all over and how much he wanted him too. He’d felt this before but now he couldn’t deny it, not when the only thing he could think about when he looked at Erwin was how his lips might feel pressed against his own and how the few strands of blonde hair that had come loose fell perfectly across his forehead.

Levi wanted to be closer, remembering how Erwin’s hands had felt on him outside and wanting more of that, wanting Erwin to touch him everywhere. He wanted to know what Erwin felt like on top of him, pressing him into the mattress. Right now, he wanted to know how Erwin fucked. He wished he’d say something else, or lean across the table or ask him to go upstairs with him, anything. He just wished he would do _something_ , because even through the fog of alcohol in his mind he still knew it was a bad enough idea to stop himself from acting.

He didn’t realize how long he’d been staring, or that he’d been biting his bottom lip until Erwin’s eyes lowered again to look at his mouth. Levi snapped out of it then, his eyes widening, and he sat back in his chair suddenly and swallowed to try to help his now very dry throat.

“What did you say?” He asked, finding solace again in his wine cup.

“Ah, it was nothing.” Erwin responded. He was blushing, Levi realized, noticing the faintest pink dusting painted across his cheekbones. He looked away to glance at the stairs that led up to the rooms and then back at Levi, his lips parted as his eyes roved over his body sitting back in the chair. He wasn’t even trying to hide it, and an excited nervousness blossomed in Levi’s belly beneath the arousal he felt because he was sure Erwin was about to ask him to go upstairs. But then he cleared his throat, reached inside his armor to pull out a handful of gold coins and tossed them onto the table as he stood up.

“It’s getting late. I have some work to do before I sleep. I’ve paid for rooms for everyone upstairs, but you may have to share with someone. I hope you enjoyed your dinner.” He said, before heading towards the stairs.

Levi was too shocked to respond. He stared at Erwin’s back, an incredulous look on his face as he walked away and disappeared. What the fuck just happened? He hadn't been imagining any of that, right? He didn't think he was _that_ drunk. In general, he found Erwin difficult to read, but the way he’d been staring at Levi just then like he’d wanted to take him upstairs and throw him onto the bed had been obvious.

He swore under his breath and reached under the table to adjust himself in his pants. He had half a hard-on just from sitting under Erwin’s hot and heavy gaze and imagining what would happen if they’d gone to his room.

“Fucking paladins.” Levi said, swearing again. He couldn’t have been the only one who felt the spark of longing pass between them, but instead of satisfied now he just felt frustrated and angry. Frustrated for obvious reasons, and angry because despite knowing that it would be a bad idea to fuck Erwin, he’d been ready to do it anyway. But then Erwin had just left, after getting him all worked up and horny for nothing.

Levi finished his glass of wine and looked at the bottle. There was still half of it left, and Erwin hadn’t even touched his cup. He decided to leave his and just took the bottle outside since Erwin had paid for it, still fuming as he made his way across the street. The tavern was located next to the river that passed through the city, and Levi stalked over to the short wall that ran parallel to it and leaned against it, facing the water.

He almost felt embarrassed, now questioning himself and the whole situation. Maybe he was just drunk, and Erwin hadn’t wanted him at all and Levi had just made a fool of himself by staring at him so openly. But then why had he asked Levi in there in the first place, why had he said ‘I want to know more about you’? Even now the memory of Erwin saying that made his chest feel warm, and he hated it because he knew what it meant: he liked Erwin. He was attracted to him, he’d been from the start, but even so he’d assumed he was just a typical asshole paladin until he’d started to find out he wasn’t.

Erwin had given him the benefit of the doubt after the first night and then continued to surprise Levi. He’d saved his life, and then gotten him out of trouble with the city guard and even vouched for him. No one had ever done anything like that for him, had ever stuck up for him like that or defended him. It had made Levi feel special, and so had Erwin asking him into the tavern despite how he’d been trying to ignore the feeling and how he liked having his attention. But now he just felt stupid, like he had gotten everything all wrong, and pissed off because it shouldn’t even matter anyway.

The only reason Levi was here in the first place was because he’d been hired to kill Erwin. He’d fucked up more than once and then let himself get distracted, and that was his own damn fault. It wasn’t too late though, he could still do it. He didn’t think he wanted to, but thoughts like that were the reason he was feeling so foolish now. He owed it to Isabel and Farlan too, if they even still thought he was alive. He was being stupid; Erwin meant nothing to him, he barely even knew him. His friends needed the gold that his head would bring so they could try and cross the sea. He'd been acting unprofessional and senseless, not to mention selfish, this whole time, letting it become personal when he absolutely knew better.

Levi turned around, walking over to a nearby tree and squatted down next to it, the wine bottle forgotten on the wall’s ledge. He had his pack that he’d gotten when he’d exited the cart earlier that day and dug around inside it, pulling out what was left of his poisons. He had half a vial left, just enough for one dagger.

He looked up at the tavern, at where the rooms of the inn were presumably located. It was dark now, but not too late and many of the windows had a glow coming from them from oil lamps or candles. The light from one in particular looked different though, and Levi was sure it was Erwin’s room - he’d stared at him enough to recognize his magical glow even from this far away. He looked back down at the poison, and wrapped his hand around the vial.

Erwin was in a room alone and vulnerable, away from his guildmates and especially from that fucking druid. All Levi would have to do was wait until later when he was sure everyone was asleep, sneak into his room, knick him once with a dagger at the very least and cut off his head once he died. He could escape in the middle of the night easily with no one noticing, and get far enough away before morning so that no one from the group could catch him. Hell, Erwin probably even had his maps stowed away in his room, so Levi could steal one of those too and find the easiest way back to his hometown. Yes, that was what he would do, he decided, shoving down every other thought and emotion he had as best he could. He had no choice, he told himself, he had to keep his word to Isabel and Farlan, and the paladin was nothing but a job.

 _Nothing but a stupid fucking job_. Levi thought again angrily, as he uncorked the vial of poison and coated one of his daggers with it. Thankfully no one was around, especially any of the city guard. Erwin had cleared his name, but he didn’t think coating a weapon with poison counted as behaving himself.

When he was done he sat back against the tree, tense and stubbornly keeping his thoughts from straying away from slitting Erwin’s throat. He’d gotten himself so worked up and anxious that he was completely sober from all the wine he’d drank earlier, but that only made it easier for him to focus. It was still early, so he waited, sitting outside by the tree for a few more hours as time passed so slowly that it began to feel more like days.

Finally, one by one, the windows began to grow dark and patrons began to leave the tavern as the night grew late. The street wasn’t lit very well, which was good - it would make it easier for him to blend into the shadows. Levi watched Erwin’s window like a hawk, waiting for something that would let him know the man was asleep. Finally, the glow seemed to get softer, like he’d blown out his candle and climbed into bed.

He waited another hour after that to be sure, and then stood up to make his way back to the tavern.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for all the kudos and kind comments <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I guess this answers my question about why you joined, then.” Erwin said, his voice remarkably calm despite the blade pressed into his neck.
> 
> Erwin’s spell had surprised Levi, but his remark seemed to snap him out of it, and he jerked his arm away from his face and planted his hand against Erwin’s chest as if to hold him down, pressing the dagger into his skin as hard as he dared and glaring down at him.
> 
> “Poison?” Erwin asked, remaining still.
> 
> “Yeah.” Levi said through gritted teeth, his eyes wild.

Erwin’s room was on the second floor, almost dead center in the middle of the tavern’s outside wall. Levi scaled the side of it easily from the alley next to it, making sure to climb up the part that was the most shadowy and unilluminated by the moonlight, until he was on top of the building. He crouched low and crept quietly, managing to balance himself easily on the sloped roof. His footsteps didn’t make a single sound, and he carefully made his way to stand over where Erwin’s window was.

This would be the trickiest part. He stuck his hand in his pocket, pulling out the lockpicking tools he was glad he’d thought to bring and kneeled. He leaned over the edge of the roof, barely able to reach the lock on the window even when he laid down and stretched, and proceeded to pick it with one hand. It was difficult like this, especially when the loud sounds of a drunk couple suddenly exiting the tavern below made him freeze and lose his concentration. He retracted his hand and laid as flat as possible on the roof, hoping they wouldn’t look up, until they were out of sight. He reached back down, and soon enough his sensitive hearing picked up the tiny click that meant he’d finally been successful.

Levi pushed the window open slowly with his fingertips, his entire body tight and tense, praying it wouldn’t creak. It didn’t, and after waiting a moment to make sure Erwin wasn’t still awake and coming to investigate why his window had suddenly opened on its own, he managed to swing his body around and climb down onto the ledge, stepping into the room and landing in a silent crouch.

His eyes caught sight of Erwin immediately. He was lying on his back on the bed, the sheet pulled up to his chest and one arm slung out haphazardly. He was snoring softly, and Levi ignored the way his heart started pounding when he looked at him. He swallowed, unsheathing his poisoned dagger and holding it in a tight grip, his eyes moving to focus on Erwin’s throat and Erwin’s throat only. He stood up and walked over to the bed, looking down at his target and trying to stay focused. He’d convinced himself earlier that this was what he had to do when he was angry, but now the doubts were starting to return, creeping into the back of his mind and making him question himself.

He couldn’t afford those thoughts though, not now. It was too late. He’d decided, and it had to be now or never because he didn’t know if he could work up the will to convince himself to do this again. Besides, this would probably be the best opportunity he had. Erwin was fast asleep and vulnerable, his armor discarded on the floor and his neck exposed. All it would take was one slice, one flick of his wrist and all of this would be over.

_He means nothing._ Levi told himself, repeating it like a mantra in his head and squeezing the handle of his dagger until his knuckles were white. He stared down at him, his eyes wandering to Erwin’s peaceful looking face before snapping back down to his neck.

His heart was hammering in his chest, and he felt sick with something. It was probably guilt, but he had to do this, he had to right now. There was no other option, no other thoughts or feelings mattered and he couldn’t hesitate, not even for one second or Erwin would wake up and everything he’d gone through would be for nothing.

Of course that was what happened, though. He steeled himself, clenching his jaw and taking a breath, intending to leap onto Erwin and then press his dagger into his neck, slitting his throat all in one single motion. But as soon as he climbed on top of him and saw his blade pressed against his skin, he froze, unable to force himself to make the final cut to finish it. Erwin jerked awake immediately, his eyes snapping open and shouting a spell that filled the entire room with a light so blinding that Levi had to shut his eyes and cover his face with his free hand. As soon as Erwin realized it was Levi though, the light went away, and Levi peeked out over his arm to find Erwin gazing up at him with eyes heavy from sleep.

“I guess this answers my question about why you joined, then.” Erwin said, his voice remarkably calm despite the blade pressed into his neck.

Erwin’s spell had surprised Levi, but his remark seemed to snap him out of it, and he jerked his arm away from his face and planted his hand against Erwin’s chest as if to hold him down, pressing the dagger into his skin as hard as he dared and glaring down at him.

“Poison?” Erwin asked, remaining still.

“Yeah.” Levi said through gritted teeth, his eyes wild. He was breathing heavy and not even sure why he answered, inwardly cursing himself and halfway to panicking at what was happening. He tried to get himself under control, tried to still his suddenly shaking hand and make it obey the chant of _Do it, Do it, Do it_ running through his mind, but he couldn’t.

“Do it, then.”  Erwin spoke the words he was thinking quietly, his eyes sharp and almost dangerous, like he was daring him to try. When he tilted his head back to bare his neck Levi’s own eyes widened, looking to where his dagger was digging into Erwin’s skin. All it would take was one flick of his fingers to cut him. Even if he didn’t slit his throat, the tiniest knick of his blade would poison him and he’d be dead anyway, as long as Levi kept him away from Mike.

He couldn’t do it though, he just fucking couldn’t, even though Erwin was lying there and doing nothing to stop him. He felt defeat well up inside him when he realized it, and something must have shown on his face because Erwin’s expression changed.

“Levi.” He said after another second, his fingers wrapping around the wrist of Levi’s hand, moving the blade away from his throat. Levi didn’t loosen his grip on his dagger, but he did nothing to fight him.

“Your head is worth a lot of gold, you know.” He said, his eyes still wide. His voice shook and sounded nearly hysterical to his own ears, and he felt frustrated tears prick at the back of his eyes. He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing, or what was going to happen now. Every choice he made turned out wrong. He’d convinced himself to kill Erwin because in the end it seemed like the easiest way out of this, but no matter how hard he tried to tell himself that Erwin meant nothing to him, it just wasn't true. He didn't know what it was yet that he really felt about him, but it was something, and even if Erwin didn't feel the same way he couldn't bring himself to kill him. Well, even if he _had_ felt the same way, he probably didn't after this. Levi's cover was blown and he had no idea what he was going to do with him now.

"Is that all you're after, gold?" Erwin asked him, studying Levi while he spoke.

"It's for my friends, we didn't have a choice, they need it. We need to cross the sea and-"

"To cross the sea? To escape the titans, you mean?"

Levi nodded, blinking away the tears that came again with the realization that they weren’t going to be able to get a boat and he’d failed his friends. He didn't know why he was saying any of this or why Erwin was even bothering to ask him. But he spoke like he was trying to understand, and Levi couldn’t stop the words from spilling out of his lips.

"I see." Erwin said quietly. "There's another way to help your friends, Levi. Crossing the sea isn't the only answer."

“No, there’s nowhere for us to go here, there’s nothing! This entire region is _shit_ -" Levi practically hissed the words through clenched teeth, the fingers of his other hand gripping the sheet over Erwin’s chest in frustration.

"Help me stop the titans and then there might be. At the very least, you wouldn't have to leave. You and your friends would be free to choose what you want to do, where you live. Everyone would be."

Levi stared down at Erwin, barely believing the words that were coming out of his mouth. Did he actually just ask him for help? Minutes after he’d woken up to Levi holding a knife to his throat?

_"What?”_ Levi spat, shaking his head. “You can’t stop them. Do you know how many people have tried and ended up dead? No one has been able to figure out anything about them in twenty fucking years.”

"I have, though." Erwin’s eyes were bright, excited even, and then Levi remembered the dark iron. He’d explained it when they’d left, about how they’d found a magical link between the mineral and the titans. Levi had been skeptical and hadn’t thought about it much - it had seemed far-fetched and with terrifying implications of mind control.

"But you can’t know. How can you be sure?"

"I told you I’ve made enemies. Why do you think that is?”

Levi stared at him, his brows drawing at his words. He thought of the hooded man, the one at the tavern who had reeked of dark magic and who had made Levi’s skin crawl.

_Erwin Smith. What could he have done to make your master want him dead?_ Levi had asked him. The only answer he’d gotten was that he’d been about to cause him a lot of trouble.

“Who hired you to kill me? What did they tell you?” Erwin pressed on, reading the dawning understanding on Levi’s face.

Levi did not answer him, too overwhelmed with his thoughts to speak. Erwin was implying that the hunch he’d had about the dark iron was correct, simply because people were now trying to kill him. People like the hooded man and his master, who - if they were trying to kill Erwin for this - obviously had something to do with the titans themselves.

There was more, though. The hooded man had glowed purple. The dark iron was purple, and the creatures they’d been attacked by, the lizards and spiders, they’d all had glowing purple eyes. Levi vaguely remembered Erwin saying something about the monsters being after him before he’d succumed to the poison, and he’d thought it was odd but he hadn’t considered it again until now.

Everything seemed to be related, and Levi suddenly knew he was telling the truth - he had to be. But the dark iron could only be one piece of the puzzle. If the titans were being mind controlled, and they were using that mineral, then who was controlling them? And how, exactly? Was it the hooded man’s master? The thought that Levi had momentarily worked for this man, someone who probably had something to do with the titans and done so many horrible things, made him feel like he was going to be sick. Levi did bad things, but he wasn’t evil. He had no desire to see this region continue on into what was basically a spiral of ruination, all because of the titans.

Erwin said they were only going to where the dark iron was located - in the mountains, but Levi got the sense that he knew more and this was just all he was telling them. Levi had caught him doing something suspicious in the woods that first night, after all, something that had made the same purple light that seemed to be related to everything else. And even though he’d asked Levi about the man who had hired him, the way he said it made it sound like he knew anyway, and he wondered if Erwin had known all along why he was there.

“You knew about me. This entire time?” Levi asked him as much, still clutching the sheet that covered Erwin’s chest in frustration. Erwin had asked him to help, but he could still barely believe it. Why would he want him to? Why would he even trust him, especially if he had known why he had been there the entire time?

“I suspected you were here to spy on me from the beginning. Your presence in the group was strange, especially since I’d seen you in the crowds before but you’d never seemed interested in joining. After Mike caught you the first night I was sure, although I couldn’t know whether you were planning to actually kill me or not.” Erwin explained. Levi felt like he should be angry, or maybe even disappointed, but he just stared up at Levi calmly while he spoke, his gaze soft.

“But none of that matters if you stay and help us.” Erwin sat up then, the sheet that had covered his chest falling to pool around his waist. “Do you understand?”

“What are you doing?” Levi said, his voice barely more than a whisper. He’d been sitting on top of Erwin this entire time, straddling him, but he’d been too upset and distracted to notice how solid and warm he felt beneath him. It was impossible not to now though, and Levi couldn’t help but lower his eyes to look at him. His gaze wandered over his chest, down his stomach to get a glimpse of his hip bones sticking out from underneath the sheet, and he felt his face heat up when he realized that Erwin had been sleeping nude. When he’d moved, Levi had shifted so he was basically sitting in his lap, and if he sat a certain way then - yes, he could feel Erwin’s very, very hard cock pressing against his ass.

“Hey-” Levi said again, his voice trailing off when he felt arousal cut through him almost like a knife. His throat was suddenly incredibly dry, and he swallowed, his eyes flicking back up to look at Erwin’s face. His expression had been its usual calm, serious one before, but now he was looking at him like he had been in the tavern, his gaze heavy, like he wanted to devour him. Levi watched him look at his lips and lick his own, and then back into his eyes like he was waiting for an answer.

Levi closed his eyes, trying to ignore the warm body inches away from his own. He had started all of this for gold, because he and Isabel and Farlan needed it, and because it was a possible way for them to escape. He didn’t have to help Erwin - the paladin didn’t seem like he was going to force him to do anything - so would it be possible for him to just go back home? But could he? Did he want to? Listening to what Erwin had said, he knew in his heart that he had the opportunity to make a difference. Levi had tried to kill him, but Erwin was giving him the chance to make up for that, to come with him and aid him in defeating the bandits. When Levi thought about what this region could be like without them, he felt guilty for what he had almost done, and found that he almost desperately wanted to prove he could be better.

When he opened his eyes again, Erwin was still staring at him. He was so close and warm, and looking into his blue eyes, Levi suddenly felt calmed, like all the tension he’d felt that night had gone away. There were still things he didn’t know, that was obvious, but for some reason he found he didn’t care. Whatever Erwin had been doing in the woods - he didn’t think it was anything bad. Maybe it was just the lust he felt or the fact that he liked Erwin, but the only thing he was sure of was that he believed what he had told him and wanted to stay.

“Okay.” He said quietly. “Okay -”

Erwin was kissing him almost before he’d even finished saying it again, the touch of his lips against Levi’s gentle but insistent. Levi melted against him almost immediately, almost sagging with relief and longing. He felt like a weight had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders and he pressed himself against Erwin as tightly as he could. Erwin still had a grip on his forearm and Levi was still holding his dagger, but he let it slide out from his hand and off the edge of the bed. It hit the ground with a loud clatter, the sound echoing throughout the room, and Levi moved to wrap his arms around Erwin’s neck, wrapping his fingers around a handful of blonde hair instead of the handle of a weapon.

One of Erwin’s arms had wound itself around Levi’s waist, his other hand coming up to hold the back of Levi’s head. The movements of their lips were slow at first, almost unsure, but soon it turned into something hot and desperate. Levi felt like all of the lust and tension he’d felt between them the past few days was finally pouring out into their kiss, the quick movements of Erwin’s mouth over his own and the press of his warm chest making him feel so wound up and flushed that he couldn’t help but grind down onto Erwin’s cock already.

He suddenly wanted to touch him everywhere now that he had him like this, moving his hands over Erwin’s shoulders and down his arms and back, feeling how the muscles and his bare skin felt underneath his fingertips. Erwin let out a soft sigh in response to his touch and just held him closer, gripping the cloth of Levi’s tunic tightly. He moved to kiss his neck, nosing at Levi’s jaw and then mouthing and sucking at his skin until he reached his ear. They were sensitive, and when he felt Erwin’s teeth it made him moan and squirm, jerking his hips again to try to create some kind of friction.

“Do you want this?” Erwin said suddenly, his voice low and his breath hot against Levi’s neck. “Please say you want this.”

“You can feel how hard my cock is, can’t you?” Levi said in response, even as he grinded against Erwin’s hard enough to make him gasp.

The question seemed ludicrous - he was practically writhing in Erwin’s lap - but given what happened Levi supposed he was trying to give him a way out if he wanted it. To Levi though, all that was now forgotten. He wanted this, he’d thought about it a lot if he was being honest with himself, and now that it was happening all he could think about was Erwin’s dick pressing against his ass and how they weren’t moving fast enough.

He felt more than saw Erwin’s smile against his neck and then felt his teeth again, this time scraping against where his pulse was in his throat, and he moaned again, his fingers digging into the skin of Erwin’s shoulders. Erwin kissed him again on the lips, hard, and suddenly Levi found himself rolled over and on his back beneath him. His hands wandered over Levi’s clothing, his fingers pushing up his cloak and tunic and making his skin burn wherever he touched him.

Before Levi knew it Erwin had dipped his head down, his lips leaving a wet trail over his chest and stomach until he was spreading his legs and mouthing at the bulge in his leather pants. Levi arched, his hips automatically reaching for Erwin’s mouth, his breathing already ragged while Erwin unlaced his pants and jerked them over his thighs. As soon as his cock sprung free he felt a hand wrap around it and a hot gust of breath from Erwin’s mouth, and then a wet swipe from his tongue, licking up the bead of pre-come that had smeared on the tip.

“Is this alright?” Erwin breathed over Levi’s sharp gasp, pausing with his head between Levi’s thighs.

“What the hell kind of question is that?” Levi panted, looking down at him like he was fucking insane for seriously asking him if it was okay to give him a blowjob. _Of course_ it was alright, but before Levi could form another sentence Erwin chuckled and moved, ducking back down to continue what he’d started.

His lips moved over Levi in earnest, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin of his cock, licking and flicking his tongue over the head but never taking him into his mouth, teasing him until Levi was squirming and gasping and clutching at the sheets uselessly. His hips jerked when Erwin wrapped his lips around just the tip, his back arching for more as Erwin sucked hard enough to make him moan and spread his legs wider, but the sound ended in a whine when Erwin kept him still with one hand and pulled away instead of swallowing him like he wanted.

Levi had thrown his head back and closed his eyes, but he had the sudden urge to look down at Erwin again and sat up on his elbows, just in time to watch him lick a long, wet stripe up the underside of his cock. His length was swollen, shiny with spit from Erwin’s tongue, the sight of it near his parted red lips obscene. When Erwin saw Levi looking this time he stopped, flicking his eyes up to meet Levi’s while he let the head rest on his outstretched tongue, staring at him while he wrapped his lips around the tip again and licked at his slit.

_“Fuck.”_ Levi whispered, the heated glance Erwin gave him through half-closed eyes making his own widen.

The way he looked was almost enough to make Levi come right then and there, debauched and aroused like he was just as turned on by this as Levi was. His cheeks were flushed pink and his hair was a mess, and Levi could see that his chin was wet with saliva too. His pupils were blown dark, a hungry look in his eyes that made Levi’s stomach tighten. Levi could not look away right then if he wanted to - the sight of Erwin, who at least resembled the image of a pure, upstanding paladin, sucking his cock so enthusiastically and looking so ravaged while doing it was so incredible that it was something he wanted committed to his memory forever.

A second later, and Erwin pulled away completely, letting Levi’s cock slip from between his lips to turn his head, kissing and biting at Levi’s thigh. His fingers were firm against Levi’s skin, digging into the muscle, and he flicked his eyes up at him again while he spoke.

“You taste so good, Levi.” He murmured into his skin, his voice thick with something that nearly sent a shiver up Levi’s spine. He moved, and Levi felt the flat of Erwin’s tongue run over one of his balls before he spoke again. “Do you like how my mouth feels on you?”

_“Yeah.”_ Levi practically moaned, hearing Erwin’s words and staring down at him with his mouth hanging open. “Yeah, _fuck_ , yes.”

That seemed to be the only response he was capable of, mesmerized by the sight of Erwin’s golden head between his legs. His hair had fallen into his eyes, and Levi had the sudden urge to touch. He moved a hand to Erwin’s head, running his fingers through his hair and tangling them in the soft, blonde strands. Erwin made a pleased sound, humming low in his throat, and then went back to his cock immediately, licking and wrapping his lips around the tip again and finally, _finally_ swallowing him all the way down.

Levi made a loud sound, falling back against the bed again and his eyes fluttering shut. The sudden wet warmth surrounding his cock threatened to overwhelm him immediately, and he bit his lip and tried to breathe to keep himself from coming right into Erwin’s mouth. That thought certainly didn’t help, and he was suddenly almost dizzy with the hot pleasure prickling along his skin, sweaty and breathless and unable to stop himself from lifting his hips to meet Erwin’s mouth while he bobbed up and down. It felt so good - Erwin’s mouth was too hot, his movements too eager - and he couldn’t help it, especially once Erwin shifted his hands to his thighs to let him move, letting him tighten his fingers in his hair too and doing nothing to stop him when he almost unconsciously started pushing his head down.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Levi sensed other movement, and lifted his head again to look down at Erwin. His eyes were closed now while he worked, pale lashes brushing over flushed skin, his cheeks hollowed out around Levi’s cock. Levi realized he was moving his hips too, grinding himself against the bed, and the sight nearly sent him over the edge. He grasped the back of Erwin’s neck with his other hand, cradling his head and moaned, every muscle in his body feeling tense and tight with pleasure.

_“Erwin.”_ He groaned, tugging at his hair, trying to tell him he was going to come even as he lifted his hips, desperately reaching for his release in Erwin’s mouth.

Erwin just moaned back in response, the sound muffled around the dick in his mouth, and took Levi’s cock in all the way until he felt it hit the back of his throat. Levi’s head hit the bed again and he arched, his hips stilling mid-air when he finally came with a choked off sob, holding Erwin’s head tightly while he rode out the waves of pleasure that washed over him.

Erwin swallowed every drop and didn’t pull away until Levi had slumped back down and let go of him, limp and loose against the bed. When Levi could think again, he was vaguely aware of Erwin’s lips against his skin, lazily mouthing at his hip while he caught his own breath. Levi looked down to find Erwin watching him and he reached down suddenly, tugging at his hair again gently. Erwin got the hint, crawling up Levi’s body to plant his mouth over his in a kiss. He slid his tongue into Levi’s mouth and he tasted himself on Erwin’s lips, but he didn’t care. He kissed him as hard as he had before, panting into his mouth still and reaching down to grab at Erwin’s cock.

He wrapped his fingers around it - _fuck_ , he felt huge, hot and heavy in his hand - and started stroking him with a firm grip. Erwin moved his hips and made a desperate noise that threatened to make Levi’s now limp cock twitch back to life, and it wasn’t long before he came too. It was a testament to how turned on he must have been, because after just a few pumps of Levi’s hand he was moaning into his mouth and trembling above him, spilling all over his fingers and stomach.

After a moment he rolled off him, but Levi was almost too tired to move. His night had been a whirlwind of confusion and stress, and even though it had ended with a blowjob, he was exhausted both physically and mentally. Erwin was lying next to him and had slung an arm over his chest, and Levi was content to just lie there, basking in his warmth and feeling sated and relaxed. He closed his eyes and must have drifted off to sleep, because he wasn't even aware of Erwin getting up until he felt a warm cloth on his stomach. He cracked his eyes open to find Erwin looking down at him with something akin to fondness. He looked so stupidly handsome, with his expression softened and his hair a mess, and the glow surrounding him in the darkness. Levi had to close his eyes again, his face heating up when Erwin bent to kiss his stomach where he'd wiped him off.

“You can stay here if you want. Otherwise you’d have to share a room with someone else, like I said.” Erwin said quietly, pressing his lips against his skin again gently.

Levi just grunted in response, throwing an arm over his eyes and squeezing them shut tightly. Suddenly he felt uncertain again, now that the afterglow from what they’d done was fading and the reality of the situation came back to him. He’d held a knife to Erwin’s throat not even an hour ago, and Erwin acted like it didn’t even matter. It all seemed so surreal, especially that Erwin would want him in his bed sleeping next to him. He wasn’t sure he was entirely comfortable with it himself, but like hell he was going to share a room with anyone else.

While he was thinking, Erwin had kissed his stomach one more time and gotten up to discard the cloth. He crawled back into bed, lying on his front next to Levi. Levi didn’t move, and Erwin didn’t touch him or crowd him, perhaps sensing some of his uncertainty. But after a few moments, Levi heard the soft, slow sounds of his breathing, letting him know that he’d fallen asleep. He moved his arm and looked at him from the side, at his face that was angled towards Levi.

He looked completely at ease and peaceful, a faint hint of pink on his cheeks that still hadn’t faded from earlier. Levi sighed and laid there, and listening to Erwin’s breathing, felt himself relax. He lay there on his back, thinking about what had happened, until finally he drifted off and slept better than he had in days.

  
  
  


When he woke up the next morning Erwin was not in bed. Levi sat up, rubbing his eyes blearily, the messy sheets and the fact that his dick was still hanging out of pants immediately reminding him of what had happened. He tucked himself back in and straightened his clothing, looking around. Erwin's things were still in the room so wherever he was, he couldn't have gone far.

Levi sat there for a moment, mulling everything over. He'd decided to stay, and he still definitely wanted to, but he found himself thinking about Isabel and Farlan. He’d been gone almost a week after promising them he would be back in one night, and now he had no idea when he would return. They probably thought he was dead, and he felt a sudden stab of guilt in his gut. He wished he could get a message to them somehow, just to let them know he was alive and that he hadn’t forgotten them.

There were messenger services that ran mail and things like that, but it was expensive because of how dangerous travel was. Levi had no gold, but he found himself staring at Erwin's bags sitting on a table across the room. The paladin did, he knew, because he'd seen him pulling out gold coins from inside his armor. He'd paid for their rooms too, and presumably their stables. Levi had a feeling there was more where that came from, and rolled off the bed to go inspect his bags.

He heard clinking and found the one holding his gold immediately, his eyes going wide when he opened it. Fuck, this was almost as much as the hooded man had been offering for his head. Where had Erwin even gotten this much gold from? He didn't seem rich - in fact, Levi had noticed, his armor was actually kind of shitty looking upon closer inspection, and the bottom of the cloak he wore was tattered. What was he doing walking around in armor like that when he had this much gold?

_He doesn't use it for himself._ Levi realized, taking a few coins out and holding them in his palm. He knew it was true, and then he began to feel very guilty about considering stealing from him, especially when he thought about everything good Erwin had done for him already. What if he asked Erwin, would he give him the gold he needed to send a message to his friends? Levi didn't know, but he didn’t need much, and in the end he still felt like he had abandoned his friends somehow even if he was doing the right thing. He’d started on this journey to get them gold, to take care of them, and his guilt over feeling like he’d failed to do that outweighed the other.

Erwin wouldn't miss the coins, not with this much, and perhaps Levi could find a way to pay him back for what he stole.

Levi pocketed the coins he held in his hand silently and returned the bag to its proper place just as he heard footsteps outside. When Erwin walked in, he saw Levi standing there in the middle of the room, eyeing him apprehensively, and stopped to look at him in the doorway.

"Good morning. I thought you might like some tea." He said after a moment, holding out a cup to Levi, who took it and examined it carefully.

"I made sure they cleaned the cup." Erwin told him. He walked over to where his things were and started putting on his armor, but Levi saw him stealing glances in his direction, like he was checking to see if he'd done good with the tea.

It was good enough for being from a tavern, and the cup was pristine just as Erwin said. Levi sat back down on the bed to drink it quietly, oddly warmed by the gesture. It made the coins in his pocket weigh even heavier than they already did, and he stared at the floor as he sipped, avoiding Erwin’s gaze. Suddenly he wanted to get out of the room, just so he could go pay the messenger and be done with it so he wouldn’t have to think about it anymore.

“I have to go do something.” He said, finishing the tea as he stood up. He picked up his dagger from where it had landed on the floor the night before, remembering what had happened again and shooting another glance at Erwin. He had stopped getting dressed and was staring at Levi curiously, studying him again with the slightest furrow of his brows.

“Alright.” He said slowly. “We’re leaving in about an hour. We’ll be at the gates. You can find it, right?”

Levi nodded and looked away, striding out of the room and down the hall. He made it down the stairs and outside, squinting at the bright morning light. There were some city guards posted on the street, but they paid Levi no mind as he passed by. That was thanks to Erwin, of course, a fact which certainly stuck with him when he was allowed into the postman’s office without a second glance.

He had just enough gold to pay for the message, with an assurance that it would be delivered in two days time, provided the messenger wasn’t captured or kidnapped, murdered, eaten, or robbed along the way.

_The plan failed. But I’m doing something better._ He wrote, trying to keep it simple but making sure they could still understand. _I’ll be back soon, save as much of the gold I left you as you can, and then we’ll figure something out._

When he got to the gate, he saw all the others milling about near the stables. Erwin was talking to Mike, Hanji, and Nanaba, fully dressed and shining in the sunlight. His back was to Levi, but he stared at him anyway as he trudged up to the edge of the group, unsure of what to do. After a moment, Erwin turned his head to look at him over his shoulder, a deep frown crossing his face when his eyes settled on him.

“Levi!” He said, gesturing towards him. “Come with me, you need to get your horse.”

Hanji, Mike, and Nanaba all looked at him, their expressions almost comically different. Mike looked bored as usual, while Nanaba actually looked curious. Hanji, on the other hand, seemed to be excitedly shaking or having some kind of fit, struggling to contain a giggle when Erwin left and Levi walked passed. He couldn’t help but scowl at her, what the fuck was she laughing at?

Levi tried to catch up with Erwin, but he was walking too fast, striding toward the stables at a brisk pace. He was moving so quickly his cape was billowing out behind him, and Levi noted his rigid back and the tenseness in his shoulders, and the almost clipped tone he had spoken to him in. His body language wasn’t exactly hostile, but it was a far cry from what it had been that morning or even the night before, when Levi had been sitting on top of him with a dagger pressed to his throat. He disappeared into the stables, Levi a few steps behind. When he rounded a corner, he finally caught up, but found himself suddenly jerked forward and then slammed against a wall so hard it knocked the breath out of him.

“What the fuck?!” He gasped in surprise, throwing his head back to look up at Erwin. He tried to squirm out of reflex, but found he couldn’t move at all. Erwin was leaning against him with all of his body weight, his hands fisted into his cloak and the metal from his gauntlets digging into his skin uncomfortably.

“You stole from me.” He murmured, his voice stiff.

“Shit.” Levi said, immediately realizing how stupid he’d been. He should have known better than to underestimate Erwin; of course he would notice, hadn’t he just told Levi he’d known he was up to no good this entire time? He hadn’t been thinking, not at all, and now he had already jeopardized his position in the group.

“I’ll pay it back.” He said immediately in response to Erwin’s gaze. His expression was stern and one of carefully controlled anger, his drawn brows, tight lips, and the force with which he was gripping his cloak the only thing belaying what Levi could sense simmering beneath. It was certainly intimidating, and even though Levi should probably be afraid, he felt a thrill run through him anyway, and he swallowed.

“Why did you take it?” Erwin asked, frowning.

“I had to send a message to my friends. I didn’t have any gold.” Levi explained. He found the words were tumbling from his mouth almost before he could stop them, Erwin’s overwhelming presence pulling them out of him. He suddenly felt a stab of panic and started talking faster - was Erwin not going to let him come with them anymore? “I didn’t know what else to do, I was supposed to come back the first night after I’d killed you, but obviously that didn’t fucking happen. I’ve been gone almost a week, they probably think I’m dead, or worse, and -”

Levi closed his mouth, not having meant to say all of that, and watched Erwin study him.  He was probably trying to see if he was telling the truth, and after a moment he sighed and closed his eyes, his grip slackening only a little.

"I like you, Levi, and I want to trust you. Don’t make me regret this. If you needed gold, you should've asked. You're helping me so I would have helped you. You do still want to help, right?"

"Yes." He answered automatically, feeling even more guilty at Erwin’s words.

He did still want to help, he found, even more so after sleeping on it and considering it when his emotions weren’t running so high. Walking through the city had only reinforced his feelings after he’d glimpsed Trost’s wall, and he’d thought how nice it would be to not have to live basically trapped inside a place like this. If he could help that become a reality for his friends, for Isabel and Farlan, then Erwin was right - it wouldn’t matter that he’d failed to get them all across the sea.

But he wanted to help Erwin too, even though he wasn’t quite sure why. Perhaps it was because he was giving him the benefit of the doubt when no one else ever had, or because in saving his life and keeping him out of jail, he’d already bothered and done more for Levi than anyone else ever had. He wanted to prove to him that he was capable of doing something worthwhile, that Erwin wasn’t wrong to put his faith in him. He wanted to be good for him, and didn’t want to betray his trust again.

“Good. I understand why you might not have wanted to bring this up with me. We haven’t had a chance to...ah, talk about things. But I want you to trust me too, so in the future, if you need anything you can just ask, okay?”

“Okay.” Levi breathed, relieved that Erwin was apparently going to let this slide. Keeping his eyes locked on his, he suddenly bent his head and pressed his lips to the wrist of Erwin’s gauntlet where he held him. Erwin watched him, and he let his mouth linger, kissing the same spot again softly. It was like an apology, the only way he knew how to make it, and he hoped Erwin would understand.

He must have, because after a second his face softened and he dipped his head down, pressing his lips to Levi’s in a kiss. Levi tilted his head back, opening his mouth when he felt Erwin’s tongue slide across his bottom lip, losing himself in a kiss that didn’t even last more than a minute. Erwin kissed him ardently, like he was trying to learn him through his lips, and all Levi could focus on was the movements of his mouth. When he pulled away Levi found himself leaning forward before he opened his eyes, chasing after the too brief kiss for another one.

Erwin didn't stay away for long though. He took one look at Levi's face, already a warm shade of pink, and kissed him again. This time he didn’t stop, not until Levi was panting and clutching at him, his arms reaching up to wrap around Erwin’s neck to drag him closer. His mouth was warm and his lips were soft, and he wanted them all over his skin again. He wanted more than that, especially when he thought about the position they were in and how easily it would be for Erwin to hold him up and fuck him against the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You can't just do that shit when we have to leave." Levi said breathlessly when Erwin pulled away again.

"Later." Erwin murmured, bending to place another kiss against the corner of his mouth, then full on his lips again before he spoke. "Come find me tonight. You'll come, won't you?"

"We'll see." Levi said, like he wasn't completely hard in his pants and ready to climb onto Erwin right there in the stables.

The look Erwin gave him almost melted him into a puddle of lust, like he was taking Levi's words as a challenge.

"You'll see?" He said with a small smile. "You seem pretty ready right now."

He pressed him against the wall harder and kissed him again, this time the movements of his lips hot and demanding. Levi wanted to moan but he couldn't, not out here, so he somehow managed to focus through the cloud of arousal in his head and turned his head to the side.

"Stop it." He said, trying to sound annoyed and failing. Erwin's kiss had landed on his cheek, and he kissed him one more time there before pulling away completely, removing his hands from Levi's cloak and standing up straight.

"Sorry." Erwin said, not sounding sorry at all. "We do need to head out."

Levi looked at him, standing there covered in metal armor, and adjusted his clothing with a scowl of mock irritation.

"I need a minute. I can't just hide my boner like you can in your armor, you know."

Erwin's gaze immediately snapped down to the obvious bulge in his pants, and the heat in his eyes reminded Levi of the night before and of how he'd looked handling his cock.

"Just saddle your horse, Levi, you'll be fine." He said, walking off. The sparkles that trailed after him told Levi he was smiling, and he grumbled as he went to find his horse.

"Bastard." He said, his cheeks still warm and his heart still fluttering lightly in his chest.

He fumbled with his things, adjusting the saddle and taking his time until he’d calmed down enough to feel like he could go back outside. Leading his horse, he exited the stables and walked towards the group who were gathered around the gates chatting happily in the sun. He felt okay suddenly, looking at them and at Erwin, all of the anxiety he’d felt over his dilemma the past few days completely gone. He felt almost lighthearted, and as he approached to take his place, he somehow got the feeling that he was entering into a new, fresh start.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Erwin's blowjob skills have increased by 5.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Its a lich.” Erwin said, staring at the ground in thought. 
> 
> “A lich? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Levi said, almost in disbelief.

After Levi had taken his place among the group, he noticed Erwin moving to talk with several city guards. Nile was with them, to his dismay, and Dennis was on the ground behind his feet, hopping from one foot to the other and apparently over his fear of Erwin. When he saw Levi, though, he stopped, raising his middle finger in the exact way Levi had done the day before. Levi froze with a scowl, staring at the stupid creature until Hanji suddenly approached from behind him.

“Hello, Levi!” She said cheerfully, clapping him on the shoulder hard enough to make him flinch. “Feeling better?”

It took him a minute to realize she was referring to how he’d been poisoned. Even though he’d just recovered the day before, so much had happened that it seemed like weeks ago.

“I’m fine.” He answered, shrugging her hand off his shoulder. She smelled like weird magic, and he didn’t want her touching him.

“I must say, I thought you were going to croak for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone turn that exact shade of purple before. I wanted to take some samples of your blood to see if the poison had any magical qualities, but Erwin wouldn’t let me.” Hanji had been standing with one hand on her hip, the other rubbing her chin thoughtfully, but her face melted into a sad frown when she mentioned Erwin. “I could probably still run a few tests though, if you don’t mind letting me have some of your blood.”

Now she was looking at him from behind her glasses with a hungry glint in her eye, like he was something to be studied and picked apart. It was honestly quite terrifying, and she was oblivious to the look of horror on Levi’s face that had risen when she’d started talking about taking his blood. She whipped her wand out from behind her ear suddenly, and brought it up like she was going to point it at him. Levi moved his hand, startled, catching her wrist in his fingers before she could.

“Don’t point that thing at me! Are you fucking crazy?” He said.

"Ah, fine." Hanji said with a pout. "I guess Erwin was right about you."

"What do you mean?"

"He just said he didn't think you liked magic much. And you wouldn't want anyone taking your blood. Even so, I thought you might be willing to give me a sample, since the shade of purple you turned seems similar to the color of the dark iron. You had some purple substance oozing from the wound too, I assumed it was the poison. What if it has something to do with the titans? Wouldn't you want to know if they poisoned you so you could have revenge?"

Levi listened to her speech, nervously watching her wave her wand around as she spoke, grimacing at her nonchalant description of his wound. Hanji didn't notice though. She just kept talking, and when she finished she looked down at him expectantly for an answer.

"You’re not taking any of my blood, four eyes." He said after another second, before taking his horse by the reigns and turning away to go join everyone who had moved to line up at the gates.

"That's alright!" Hanji shouted after him. "Tonight maybe?"

Levi ignored her, and soon enough they were off after Nile allowed the gates to be opened. While they traveled, he spent most of the day enjoying their surroundings while keeping a lookout for any danger. The area that surrounded Trost mostly consisted of flat, dark green plains randomly interspersed with groupings of tall trees. As usual, they only followed the road for a little while until they began to take a different path.

They stopped at midday, and Nanaba gave Levi some dried jerky and cheese. After that it started to rain and they all quickly became soaked, except for Hanji and Moblit, who casted some kind of blue magical shield to protect them from the rain. It looked like a clear bubble when they turned a certain way, and the water ran down the outside of it like glass. Levi only had the hood of his cloak, unfortunately, which didn’t help much once that became soaked too. As the day drew closer to evening, the rain didn’t let up, and the landscape began to change. He began to glimpse more and more small bodies of water, and the trees slowly became thicker. In between, the ground grew soft and muddy, and was covered with thick weeds and brush.

It became apparent that they were entering some kind of swamp, a prospect which Levi did not find appealing. Soon they were barely able to avoid crossing through water at all, water that was black in the deeper parts and covered with weird looking plants and vines. The trees had grown thick enough to effectively block out much of the sun, and with the rain it made the swamp seem very dreary and ominous. Moss hung from the trees, and mist rose from the top of the water eerily. The deeper they went the thicker it got, and as nightfall grew closer the swamp got darker, and Levi wondered how they were going to find dry land to make camp when their horses were now wading through water that was up over their hooves.

He could always sleep in a tree, of course, but he didn’t think Erwin or the rest of the group would be willing to do that. Besides, there was spending the night with Erwin to worry about. He knew he shouldn't be concerned about it because it really wasn't important compared to everything else, but he couldn't help it. He'd been thinking about it all day, about this morning and the night before. He'd barely been able to control his blush when he remembered what Erwin looked like sucking his cock, grinding himself onto the bed and making noises like he was enjoying it just as much as Levi was. Paladins were good, known for walking the straight and narrow path - he didn't think they were capable of doing any of the lewd things Erwin had done.  

Erwin wasn't a normal paladin though, he'd already learned that. He certainly wasn't complaining either, he just wanted more. He wanted to know if Erwin fucked as dirty as he sucked cock, and after finding out how huge he was, wanted to feel all of that splitting his ass wide and filling him up.

It made his mouth water just thinking about it, made a tight knot of anticipation well up in his belly, especially because Levi knew Erwin had been thinking about it too. At midday they'd stopped by a stream, and Erwin had been watching him when he'd stripped off his cloak and shirt to wash himself off. Levi had felt his eyes burning into his back, and when he turned around to give him a look, Erwin hadn't even tried to hide that he'd been staring at him. It made Levi flush, his thoughts automatically going elsewhere, and he'd scrambled to put his clothing back on before he embarrassed himself in front of anyone else in the group.

But now, he didn't see how he'd get what he wanted if they couldn't find a place to camp. After a bit they stopped, Erwin pausing to check his maps, and Levi wondered if they'd gotten lost.

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound coming from his left. It sounded like splashing, like something stepping through the water, and he looked over to see an odd shape shambling toward him out of the darkness.

"Shit!" He cursed, hand coming to grasp one of his daggers on reflex. The way it moved, it looked almost exactly like -

“Undead!” Hanji screamed, startling everyone in the group and spooking the horses. Hers reared up on its back legs, nearly toppling her off, but she held onto the reins and whipped out her wand, pointing it at the creature and shouting a spell.

The undead had come into full view by then, and Levi assumed it was a ghoul of some sort. It had probably been a man or an elf once judging by its height and the few tufts of hair that clung to its scalp, although by now it was barely recognizable as something that had once been alive. Its brown, rotten flesh was stretched tightly over its bones like dried leather, and only a few remaining scraps of clothing clung to its body. It was missing the bottom half of its jaw, but its tongue must have rotted out a long time ago. Instead of eyes, a weird, icy blue glow seemed to emanate from his sockets, casting an eerie light over what was left of its face.

As soon as Hanji spoke the creature burst into flames. It was a powerful spell, Levi could tell. The ghoul was still a few yards away from him, but he could feel the waft of burning air that washed over him when it caught fire. Although the flames burned white hot and completely covered its body, they seemed to have no effect. The ghoul just kept moving, shambling towards Levi as if it wasn’t on fire.

 _The hell with this._ He thought, springing into action. Fire apparently had no effect, and he wasn’t going to sit there and let this thing reach him or the group, waiting for someone else to try another magical attack. He leapt off his horse, pulling out both his daggers as he did so, darting over to the ghoul and slicing off its head in one quick motion. He’d easily avoided the flames, and as soon as its head hit the ground, the creature’s body went limp and it collapsed into the water with a splash.

Erwin was already halfway over to him as he sheathed his daggers, and when he reached him he immediately bent to pick up the ghoul’s severed head. Where he touched it, its skin smoked, and Levi knew it had nothing to do with Hanji’s fire spell. Like demons, undead were evil creatures - created from some of the foulest, most gruesome magic, and thus extremely susceptible to the type of holy magic that Erwin used.

“This is unexpected.” Erwin said, staring intently at the ghoul’s skull. “I hadn’t counted on there being undead in this region.”

“Last time we passed through, the area was clear.” Mike said, coming up behind Erwin.

“Yes, but there will surely be more where this came from. We should scout ahead. Its dark, and I don’t want us walking into a trap. Mike, take the map. There should be some dry land half a mile east of here. Levi, come with me.”

Erwin dropped the skull and immediately started heading north, in the direction they'd been headed. Neither Mike nor Levi moved for a moment, glancing at each other quickly. Levi had been surprised by Erwin’s order, but he didn’t let it show on his face. Instead, he shot Mike a cool look when the druid frowned at him, distrust practically coming off of him in waves, before he turned to follow Erwin deeper into the swamp.

"Where are we going?" Levi asked quietly, once he'd caught up.

"There's a series of ruins not far from here. That's where we were headed, but I want to make sure undead haven't infected the area." Erwin explained. It was night now, and the swamp had grown nearly pitch black, the light from the moon blocked out by the trees and the rain. Erwin's glow was the only thing illuminating their path, but if they were trying to sneak around then it wasn’t going to be hard for anything to spot them when Erwin stuck out like a bright beacon.

"Can't you turn that shit off?" Levi asked. "You're brighter than the fucking sun."

"If I concentrate I can."

"Well, any undead will be able to see us coming a mile away out here. How do you think I snuck up on you the first night?"

Erwin shot him a look over his shoulder. "I thought you might try that if you were spying, so I didn't worry about 'turning it off,' as you said. I'll make sure I'm not glowing when we get closer. You're not the only one who knows how to sneak up on people, Levi."

"Really? Because you're being loud as fuck, stomping through here like some giant."

It was true. Erwin may have thought he was walking silently, but to Levi's fine-tuned senses and elf ears he could hear every one of his footsteps. Erwin stopped then, looking down at him intently.

"Hm. Well, I snuck up on you at the river, didn't I?"

Levi felt his ears heat up at the memory. Shit, he was right.

"I was distracted." He whispered loudly, trying to remain quiet. Erwin held up a hand suddenly, silencing anything else he might have to say, and Levi froze. There were no sounds this time, but when he glimpsed in the direction Erwin was looking he saw a set of icy blue orbs moving towards them out of the darkness. It was another ghoul, and as it stepped forward, Levi could see two more pairs of glowing eyes behind it.

As soon as the first ghoul came into view, Erwin drew his sword and pointed it at the creature, the words of a spell leaving his lips in a commanding voice. A bright yellow light flared up, cutting across the ghoul’s chest in an arc that matched the movements of Erwin’s sword. Levi watched as it fell over immediately, the blue light from its eyes burning out and the wound on its chest emitting a thin smoke. Erwin repeated the movement against the other two ghouls before they even appeared, the light from the spell flashing through the darkness as quick as lightning.

Levi raised his eyebrows. Now this was magic he could get behind. Erwin had taken out those ghouls with a single spell, as quickly as if Levi had slashed off their heads, except he didn’t even have to get close or endanger himself.

"Not bad." Levi said. Erwin was glowing even brighter now that he'd been using magic, but once he started moving again, Levi noticed it get lower and lower until there was barely any light surrounding him at all. They didn't get very far at all before they started to come up upon the ruins and more undead. This time, there was maybe a group of about 10 of them clustered around the remains of some kind of ancient structure, now just little more than a pile of stones half sunken into the marshy ground.

When they saw Erwin and Levi, they all started moving forward at once, and Erwin didn't skip a step. He strode forward, using the same spell against the two in front and then slashing through another with his sword. Levi wasn't going to let Erwin fight all of them on his own this time, though. He fought too, charging in behind him and cutting at the ghouls with his daggers. They made quick work of them, especially once Levi felt their shared power up kick in. He still didn't understand it, whatever it was, but it made him feel almost twice as strong and twice as fast, and fighting the much slower ghouls was basically like a cakewalk.

As soon as the last one hit the ground, however, Levi heard more splashing. It was coming from behind him, and this time it sounded almost like something was running.

"Levi!" Erwin shouted, just as he started to turn around. He ducked just in time for the ghoul that was charging at him to leap over his head, and he heard Erwin shout another spell. He hadn't killed it, Levi saw when he stood up, he'd caged it in something. It's legs were bound in what looked like glowing gold chains, and even though they weren’t sticking into the ground the undead seemed incapable of moving. It just stood there, swaying and staring at Erwin eerily with its icy blue eyes.

"Someone's controlling them." Erwin said, approaching it. "And that means they probably know we're here."

He now held his sword in one hand and his shield in the other, and despite his attempts to tone down his magic he was lighting up the whole clearing again. Even his sword was glowing, but if someone was watching them through the eyes of these ghouls like he said, then he supposed there was no point in trying to stay hidden.

"How do you know?" Levi asked, staring at the undead. This one looked, for lack of a better word, more _fresh_ than the others. It's skin was a mottled green and brown, and it fucking stunk like a rotting corpse. Which, Levi supposed, it was.

"Their eyes. Not all undead are like this, you see. There are illnesses that can turn a person into this, but they just wander aimlessly and don't congregate in groups like these do. The light from their eyes, though, is similar to what they would look like if they were being controlled by a necromancer."

Erwin's words sent a shiver down Levi's spine. It made him think of the other creatures that had attacked them and of the titans too, and the theory about them being controlled. The creatures all had glowing purple eyes - similar to this, just a different color - and there were the purple markings on the titan's faces to think about. How horrible, Levi thought, to be trapped in your own body like this, under the control of someone else and unable to do anything about it. These ghouls had once been people, but instead of being allowed to just stay dead, they were forced to wander around in this pitiful existence performing the bidding of someone else.

Suddenly, Levi couldn't bear to look at the thing anymore, and he gripped his daggers tightly and lunged forward, stabbing it through its chest in one stroke. His attack broke Erwin's spell and the ghoul fell over onto its front. He hadn't killed it though, and as if it hadn't even been wounded at all, it immediately started crawling forward toward Erwin, pulling itself along the ground with bony fingers.

Erwin was looking at Levi intently, studying him for his actions, Levi knew, but then he pointed his sword at the ghoul, mumbling the same spell as earlier in a quiet, solemn voice. A bright light slashed across its back and it went limp instantly, smoke rising from where it lay still on the ground.

"We need to find out who - or what - is controlling them." Erwin said quietly after a moment, looking down at Levi who was frowning at the ghoul's corpse.

"Let me go ahead." Levi said. "I can get to the ruins without being seen."

He looked up at Erwin, whose face was just readable enough for Levi to tell he wasn't yet convinced. Levi glanced around, looking and listening to make sure there weren't any more undead coming, and spoke again in a quiet voice.

"If whoever is controlling these assholes knows we're out here, then they'll be able to see you coming through whatever undead we have to fight, right? I can sneak past them. I'll get to the ruins and look around, and then come back. You get what I'm saying?"

"Okay. But how do you know you can get there without being seen?" Erwin asked.

Levi didn’t answer. Instead, he reached up to jerk his hood even farther down over his head and took a few steps back away from Erwin's light. When he was fully enclosed in darkness, he stopped, and saw the barely imperceptible widening of Erwin's eyes that let him know he'd disappeared. Of course he hadn't really disappeared, but was using a skill that certain elves possessed to blend into the shadows. Rogues possessed this ability to a certain degree too, and with both skills combined he was easily able to sneak past most enemies undetected. Given that it was dark and still raining, he didn't think that he would have any problem checking out the ruins and getting back without anything seeing him.

"Okay, Levi, but if you're seen, run back here immediately. Don't fight anything." Erwin said, staring at the spot where Levi had disappeared.

"Yeah, okay. I'll be back." Levi said.

He crept off, moving slowly and silently, keeping behind trees and taking whatever path would keep him in the darkest shadows. The further north he got, the more crumbling ruins he saw, half decimated structures sticking out of the ground and sunken into the deeper parts of the swamp. Vines hung down from the trees and covered the ruins, and around every one he saw clusters of more undead, always groups of 10 or more. He moved so slowly that he always spotted them before he got close, walking around them so he wouldn’t have to worry about being seen. It got harder though when the ruins grew more frequent, like he was entering into the remnants of some ancient, abandoned village, and he knew he was getting closer to the area Erwin spoke of. The place was practically crawling with undead, all of them wandering around aimlessly and forcing him to walk slowly and more carefully so he could avoid them.

Despite being in the middle of a swamp, the ruined village was on high ground, the center of which was located on top of a hill. When Levi got closer, he stopped, glimpsing something that made him freeze and crouch down behind a rock. There was a skeletal, ghostly figure floating around at the center of the hill. It was huge, perhaps twice as tall as Erwin was, and it was draped in fancy, flowing looking robes. It looked like some kind of undead mage, and as soon as Levi noticed its blue glow he knew it was the creature controlling all of the others. It wasn't mindless like the other ghouls, it was intelligent. He could just tell by the way it moved, the way it looked around sharply surveying the ruins. Levi had thought it would be a person controlling the undead, though - a necromancer - or was this some kind of undead necromancer? Whatever it was, it gave him the fucking creeps, and he decided he’d seen enough.

He made it out of the ruins easily, creeping back the way he’d came and managing to avoid being seen. It wasn’t until he got closer to where he'd left Erwin that he could make out sparks of light in the distance, and he knew that the paladin was fighting.

 _Shit_ , he thought, walking quicker. When he got closer the flashes grew more frequent, and he broke out into a run, splashing loudly through puddles and no longer caring about maintaining his stealth. He knew Erwin could certainly hold his own against probably a large number of undead, but there had been a lot of them at the ruins, and if he got swarmed by that many then, well, he might be in trouble. He sprinted as fast as he could, and when he reached the clearing he saw him surrounded by about five ghouls. He had his shield out and had casted his protective bubble, blocking the attacks of the four ghouls in front of him. Another was in the back behind him, its claws bouncing off of the flickering magic surrounding Erwin, and Levi aimed for it first, barreling into it hard enough to knock it down.

“Levi!” Erwin shouted in surprise, spinning around to watch him leap onto the ghoul he’d knocked down and sink both his daggers into its skull.

Levi jumped up, moving to attack the remaining creatures. Erwin started chanting something, another spell that made his sword flare up in a bright light, making it easier for him to slice through the undead in front of him. After a moment of fighting the four ghouls were defeated, and as soon as the body of the last one hit the ground, Erwin dropped down into a crouch, his sword sinking into the soft ground. He was leaning onto it for support, and only then did Levi notice there were probably about twenty other undead bodies surrounding them. He didn’t appear to be injured, though, but he was panting heavily and looked slightly strained.

Levi stepped forward and reached out a hand as if to touch Erwin, suddenly concerned, but then stopped himself when a wave of uncertainty overtook him.

“I’m alright.” Erwin said breathlessly, looking up at him and apparently sensing some of the distress he felt. “I used the last of my energy to cast that spell over my sword. I’ll regain it back soon enough. Did you make it to the ruins? What did you see?”

Erwin immediately pressed him for answers, not even worried about himself. Levi should have known; magical users didn’t have unlimited power for their spells, of course. If they casted too many too quickly they would run out and have to rest to regain energy. But if that’s all it was, Erwin would be fine as he said, so Levi quickly explained to him what he had seen: the amount of undead roaming the ruins, and the ghostly figure dressed in robes atop the hill.

“Its a lich.” Erwin said, staring at the ground in thought. “They’re necromancers who have used their own spells on themselves to try to become immortal. It works, somewhat. They’re transformed into those creatures from what they once were - human, or otherwise - but the only way to kill one is to destroy its phylactery. Otherwise it will just regenerate. This one must be quite powerful if its capable of controlling so many undead.”

“A lich? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Levi said, almost in disbelief. He’d heard of liches, of course, but he’d never seen one and almost didn’t quite believe they were real. Until now, anyway. That thing had looked as powerful as Erwin seemed to guess, and Levi couldn’t even imagine how they were supposed to fight it.

“What the hell is a phylactery?” He asked when Erwin remained quiet.

“It’s where the lich keeps its soul. That’s how they attempt immortality, by removing their soul from their body and placing it somewhere else. They usually keep it on them or nearby, because they don’t like it to fall out from under their protection. We should get back to the others now, we’ve been gone much too long.”

Erwin stood up, looking a little better already. Together, he and Levi quickly made their way to where Erwin had instructed Mike to lead the group. They had apparently had some trouble with ghouls as well, because two dozen or so undead bodies littered the ground as they approached. They seemed to have fared well enough though, with Nanaba the cleric and the other paladin, Gunther, still with them.

When they approached everyone gathered around, and Erwin explained what Levi had seen.

“A lich?” Hanji said, adjusting her glasses. “But what could a lich be up to out here?”

“I’ve wondered that as well, but regardless we have to deal with it somehow. If we stay here, its just going to keep sending undead after us.” Erwin said.

Nanaba spoke up, holding her cleric’s staff in one hand. “How many minions did it have?”

“Levi tells me it looked to be around two hundred. Without the lich, I believe we would be able to handle those numbers easily. But we have to assume that the lich will be attacking us as well, and if its capable of controlling that many undead, then it must be quite powerful. We’ll have to make destroying it as quickly as possible our main focus.”

“Did you glimpse its phylactery, Levi?” Hanji asked, peering down at him. Unlike the others who looked mostly grim or determined, she looked curious and even almost a little excited.

He shook his head no. He hadn’t, but he hadn’t known to look for it either. “What if he’s not carrying it? How the hell are we supposed to find it then?”

"I'll bet you ten spellstones he has it." Hanji said, scratching her head with her wand. "A powerful lich like that wouldn’t want to let his soul out of his sight. Right, Erwin?"

"Yes, I believe he has it.” Erwin said, then turned to look down at Levi. “Levi, you’re skilled at pickpocketing, right?”

Caught off guard by the question and everyone suddenly staring at him, he didn’t answer right away. “Yeah, sure.”

“I thought so. Here’s what we will do then: all of you will focus on fighting the undead. I’ll attack the lich, and while he’s distracted, Levi, you will sneak up behind him and steal his phylactery.”

“And then what?” Levi asked, not sure how he felt about this plan. He’d never fought a lich before. The thing had looked like a skeleton - how the fuck were you supposed to pickpocket a skeleton?  It had been wearing robes, and that was really the only place Levi imagined it could be keeping its phylactery. But what if it didn’t? What if there were multiple pockets, how would he know which one to pick? He would only have one shot, because he had a feeling that no matter how cloaked he was, once he stuck his hand in the lich’s pocket then he was going to know Levi was there.

“Then you’ll destroy it. You should be able to just stab it with one of your daggers, or break it somehow, and the lich will be killed instantly.” Erwin said calmly, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“So then you’re going to fight this lich on your own, just like that?”

“I can defend myself against it long enough for you to steal its phylactery.”

“Don’t worry, Levi!” Hanji said suddenly. She had been standing next to him, and sidled up closer to wrap an arm around his shoulders. “Erwin’s fought bigger enemies than that! He’s usually fine - well, except for that time where he fought an evil ent and had branches growing out of his chest. It took us two days to find a shaman who could remove them! Remember that, Erwin? That was a fun day!”

“Get off me. I didn’t say I was worried, I just want to get out of this fucking swamp, okay?” Levi shoved her away with one arm, thankful that it was dark and he was wearing his hood because he felt his ears warm.

He hadn’t meant to question Erwin, especially not in front of everyone, but they all kept mentioning how powerful this lich supposedly was so he didn’t understand why Erwin would want to attack it by himself. Really, this entire plan of Erwin’s depended on him to steal the phylactery, and he especially didn’t like the idea of Erwin acting like bait, with his safety basically in Levi’s hands.

“Can you do it, Levi?” Erwin said, staring down at him. His face was unreadable, but when Levi looked up at him he saw that his eyes were soft.

“Yeah.” Levi answered after a moment with a swallow.

Whatever his concerns about stealing from the lich were, Erwin did not seem to share them. He seemed to have absolute faith that Levi could do it, and was trusting him now enough to basically put his life in his hands. It was absurd, really; after their conversation that morning and the fact that Levi had almost killed him just the night before, for fuck’s sake. But it made him feel good, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to steal the phylactery and kill the lich. He didn’t want to be eaten by undead, of course, but this was his chance to prove that Erwin was right for believing in him.

After that, Erwin asked everyone if they were ready. They were going to ride there, as quickly as possible so they wouldn’t be ambushed by more undead, and launch their attack as soon as they got to the ruins. The swamp was almost eerily quiet as they rode through it, except for the sound of the steady rain pouring through the trees, and they made it there without seeing a single ghoul. Spots that Levi had passed before that had been crawling with undead were now empty, a fact which told him that the lich knew they were coming.

Their luck ran out when they reached the outskirts of the ancient village, though. They rode past the ruins of a large structure and were suddenly ambushed by undead. There was so many that they were practically crawling over each other to attack them, and most of the group’s members immediately leapt off their horses and started fighting.

Levi, who was riding at the front with Erwin and had escaped the onslaught, wheeled his mount around to get a glimpse of the battle that had suddenly exploded behind him.

“Levi!” Erwin shouted. He had kept riding, and turned around on his horse to yell at him to keep moving.

“Shit…” He cursed, wheeling around again and digging his heels in, trying to ignore what was going on behind him and concentrate on what he had to do.

He caught up with Erwin quickly, but they didn’t get much farther before they too were attacked by a mob of undead. Erwin leapt off his horse and started slashing at them with his sword immediately, determinedly trying to cut through to get to the main part of the ruins. Levi fought right beside him, and at first they made quick progress with their power boost. The horde of undead never seemed to end, however, and Levi had a feeling that his estimate of 200 had been way off.

"Dammit!" Levi cursed beside Erwin, as he slammed two undead out of his way with his shield.

They had been completely swamped before they even realized it.The ghouls were so thick that the ones Erwin knocked away were replaced immediately by more, and it was impossible for them to push through. Erwin wasn't using any magic Levi had noticed, presumably because he was conserving all of it for fighting the lich. But they were about to be in trouble; undead were surrounding them on all sides and Levi had been forced behind Erwin, his back pressed against the paladin’s and protecting them from the ghouls that came at them from behind while Erwin battled with the ones in front.

They were so close though. Levi had glimpsed the lich before he’d shielded himself, and if they could just break through these undead somehow then they could probably make a run for it. But there was nothing Levi could do like this - he had no vanishing powder, no smoke bombs, none of the tools that rogues normally used to get out of sticky situations. There was no way they could just fight their way through, there were too many of them. Levi was just about to shout at Erwin to use some damn magic, but just before he did, Erwin suddenly crouched, driving his sword into the ground and shouting a spell. There was a flash of light almost like an explosion, and all of the undead surrounding them were blasted into the air and blown far enough away for them to get free.

"Come on!" Erwin shouted, ripping his sword out of the ground and sprinting forward. Levi followed, and behind them, he swore he heard Hanji cheering and shouting spells as the group apparently caught up.

"Levi, you need to disappear." Erwin said as they ran, dodging rogue ghouls and keeping his eyes on the lich at the center of the ruins.  

"Got it, Erwin." Levi answered, slowing and then ducking behind a structure. He sliced off the head of an undead hiding there and then paused long enough to concentrate on cloaking himself in the darkness. He didn't follow in Erwin's path, but moved west, intending to circle around so he could creep up behind the lich.

When he cleared the ruins he'd hidden behind he saw Erwin had already reached the thing. He stepped as quickly as he dared, not wanting him to fight it any longer than he had to. He passed a group of undead that were strangely still, not heading toward the location of the remaining group members like all the others had been. Levi wondered if the lich's control was slipping because he was distracted - from what he could see, Erwin seemed to be giving it a run for its money. The lich was firing spells at him, blue bolts that looked like ice. So far, Erwin had managed to deflect all of them with his shield, and when the lich swung at him with its staff Erwin caught every blow against his sword. Levi didn't know how long he could keep that up though, no matter what he'd said, and in his concern he rushed his step almost too much.

The group of undead he passed wasn't facing him, but suddenly they all whirled around at once, their glowing blue eyes locked on the spot where he was standing. Levi froze completely, staring straight ahead and not even daring to breathe. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the lich. It was staring in his direction too, pausing in its attacks against Erwin, and for half a second he was sure he’d been seen. But then he heard Erwin shouting at it, reciting a spell and seeing a flash of light from him that made the lich turn its attention back to him.

The attention of the other ghouls dropped as well, and Levi started moving again. He climbed up the backside of the hill, and when he got closer he heard a voice over the sounds of battle. It wasn’t Erwin, and it sounded sinister and eerie, the words traveling through the air like a whisper. Was it the lich? Was it talking to Erwin?

“You’ll never win…” Levi heard it saying, all of the hair on the back of his neck suddenly standing on end. “You will fail, you can’t win...all the lives spent…...is it worth it?”

It was chanting that over and over again, and as Levi crept up slowly behind it, he glimpsed Erwin’s face in front of the lich when it moved. He had his protective bubble up by now, and he looked strained, but whether or not it was from the lich’s words or because he was running out of energy for his spells, Levi didn’t know. He was only a few yards away now, and every time the lich fired a spell at Erwin or swung its staff he felt a gust of cold air blow in his direction. He didn’t dare increase the speed of his footsteps though, despite wanting to hurry. He wasn’t sure how much longer Erwin could hold up; he was muttering defensive spells through gritted teeth, but the glow surrounding him was dwindling and his bubble flickered every time the lich hit it.

“You killed them...everyone…” The lich chanted as Levi got closer.

He could see its robes clearly now, even through the rain thanks to his sharp eyes, and looked over them for pockets. He didn’t see any, but suddenly saw a flash of gold hanging off its belt. He squinted, looking for it again when the lich swung its arms. It was a vial of some kind, decorated in gold and other jewels, and it was attached to its belt with a thin chain. Inside, Levi saw what looked like sparkly mist floating around, and he knew that had to be the phylactery. There was nothing else on the creature - no necklace, no other jewelry, nothing.

“You killed them all...all for nothing...you can’t win…”

Levi was right behind the lich now, almost close enough to grab the vial. He only heard what it was saying in the back of his mind, concentrating on maintaining his stealth and waiting for the perfect time to snatch it. He ducked, dodging a swing of the lich’s arms, and glimpsed Erwin’s face again. Either he hadn’t sensed Levi was there, or he had purposely kept his eyes off of him so as not to give the lich any hint of his cover. His glow was almost gone completely now, and he looked almost like he did when Levi had come up on him in the clearing.

“You’ll kill him too...the elf...you’ll kill everyone…” The lich said, as Levi was reaching out for the vial.

He froze at its words, faltering for a split second and looking at Erwin who had paused too with his shield in the air. He was staring back at Levi with wide eyes, an uncustomary stricken look crossing his normally stoic face. The lich had raised its arms to strike at him while it spoke and Erwin had caught the blow, but its arm was swinging back down now, coming right for Levi’s head.

Erwin snapped out of it, shouting out a spell at the last second. The lich’s arms were immediately locked in gold chains, frozen in mid-air and unable to move. Levi jerked back into gear as Erwin fell down on one knee, his bubble finally failing, and wrapped his fingers around the phylactery. The lich let out an ear splitting howl of rage and shattered Erwin’s chains, its body whirling around and blasting Levi with a bone-chilling gust of cold air.

He got a glimpse of its glowing purple eyes as the spell knocked him backwards. He landed hard on his back a few feet away, gasping for breath and feeling like he’d suddenly been encased in ice. He felt frozen, his entire body so cold that it _hurt_ , and for a second he could barely think through the intense, aching pain. He heard Erwin shouting though, yelling his name and then casting another spell in a breathless voice, the same one as before.

He looked up to see the lich above him, suddenly restrained with chains again. _Shit_ , he’d had the phylactery, he’d felt it in his fingers when he’d been thrown back. The force of the blast must have pulled it off its belt, but had it gone flying when the spell had been cast? He scrambled over onto his stomach, looking around wildly and spotting a hint of gold a second later through the pouring rain. It had landed by a rock a few feet away and he forced himself up, ice falling off of his armor as he moved, stumbling over and drawing his dagger.

He heard the lich break Erwin’s spell again, shrieking something in some terrifying sounding language, and as he threw himself down with his dagger out in front of him he was sure he hadn’t been quick enough and he was about to be frozen solid. But the blade struck, the point of it pricking through the glass of the vial and cracking it around its middle. Behind him, the lich let out a blood curdling scream, the anguished sound sending a chill down Levi’s spine that had nothing to do with how cold he felt.

Levi heard a whooshing noise and then another cold gust of air, and then everything was suddenly completely quiet. The swirling mist that had been inside the vial was gone - now, it just looked like an empty, broken jar. He knew the lich was dead then and he rolled over onto his back, his arms outstretched and feeling sort of dazed, to see Erwin running over to him.

“Are you alright?” He asked, dropping down onto his knees.

Levi stared up at him. He looked exhausted; there were dark circles under his eyes and he was pale, his voice sounding out of breath like it had been when he’d run out of energy before. There was ice in his hair, too, Levi noticed, and chunks of it covered his armor and shield from his battle with the lich.

Levi wondered if he looked like that too. He was still so cold, the feeling like he’d been encased in ice or drenched in frozen water lingering over his skin and in his bones. The rain certainly wasn’t helping any, and he was shivering violently, unable to stop his teeth from chattering.

“Y-yeah.” He said, his voice trembling from how much he was shaking. “I’m just really, really f-fucking cold.”

Erwin placed a hand on his cheek, his fingers warm on Levi’s icy skin, and brushed his thumb over his bottom lip.

“Your lips are blue.” He said.

His voice was unreadable, but he was almost smiling, his eyes telling Levi that he was just happy they’d won. For a second, Levi thought he was going to bend to kiss him, but instead he moved his hand and placed it on Levi’s chest. He closed his eyes and started mumbling a spell, and Levi felt warmth start to wash over him, spreading over his body from where Erwin’s hand was pressed against him. He let his head fall back and he sighed in relief, the feeling instantly coming back into his numb fingers and toes. It felt good, almost like warm water was being poured over him, and his skin tingled pleasantly. He stared up at Erwin’s face, looking at his brows drawn in concentration and watching his lips move while he recited the spell. When he opened his eyes and looked at him, Levi felt his ears warm, but was almost too caught up in the comforting feeling to care.

Unfortunately, it only lasted for a minute. Erwin moved suddenly when he heard someone shouting, and stood up. He unfastened his cape, pulling it over his shoulder and handing it to Levi.

“Take this.” He said. Levi sat up and grabbed it. Ewin’s spell had warmed him plenty while he’d been casting it, but as soon as he’d stopped some of the cold had returned. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been before, but he still felt chilled enough to gladly accept Erwin’s cloak and wrap it around himself without question.

“Hey! Is everyone alright?” It was Hanji, running up the hill with a huge grin on her face. “Did you kill the lich?”

“Levi did.” Erwin said, staring down at him intently.

“Oh, yes, I see now…” Hanji said, her words trailing off as if she’d forgotten about them as soon as she glimpsed the cracked phylactery on the ground. She picked it up, adjusting her glasses and inspecting it eagerly, holding it gingerly and turning it over in her hands.

“Hmm...what’s this?” She said, turning around when she heard Moblit approaching. She walked over to where the lich had died and bent down, picking up a large, dusty looking tome.

"What is it?" Erwin asked her. He'd walked over to investigate, looking over her shoulder as she flipped through the book.

"I'm not sure, there are a few pictures here that seem to depict spellcasting of some sort. But the writing is in some kind of magical language - a very, very ancient one. I recognize some of the characters, but I can't read it. With the proper scrolls, though, I may be able to decipher it!" She was talking excitedly and staring down at the book with wide eyes. Moblit had come up beside her and was taking notes, scribbling onto a parchment with his tongue sticking out while he wrote. "Oh, I don't have them though. They'd be at Karanes, and they probably wouldn't let a mage like me have access to them anyway."

"See if you can decipher something from it, please, so that we can determine its importance. I don't believe us stumbling across this lich was a coincidence." Erwin said. His voice was solemn, and as he spoke, the rest of the group members came walking up the hill. A huge, shaggy wolf came last, following the rest of the group with its tongue hanging out of its mouth. At least Levi thought it was a wolf - it looked more like an overgrown dog than anything - but its snout full of sharp teeth gave it away.

“Hey!” He shouted, jumping up and grabbing one of his daggers from where it was still lying on the ground. He was surprised at the wolf’s appearance, and confused at why no one else seemed concerned. They just looked over at him, curious at his sudden outburst, and ignored the wolf as it walked over to Nanaba, licked her hand, and sat down. Only then did Levi realize it must be Mike. The wolf’s fur matched his hair color perfectly, and it somehow managed to shoot him the same shitty look Mike had been giving him all week, even in the form of an animal. _Fucking druids._

“...what happened to the rest of the undead?” He said after another second, realizing everyone was waiting on him to speak. He’d been wondering that too - the battle hadn’t even lasted an hour even if it had felt like it, and he was sure there had been hundreds of undead. Had they really managed to kill them all in that short amount of time?

“They all dropped dead when the lich was killed.” Erwin explained. “Its control was the only thing keeping them alive.”

“Yes, and its a good thing you killed it when you did!” Hanji said, slamming the book closed suddenly. “We were nearly close to getting overrun.”

“Yes, we cut it close, but we won and no one was even severely injured. I believe that’s all that matters. We should get to work setting up camp since its already well past sunset. There are plenty of ruins around, so there should be enough decent shelter for everyone.” Erwin said.

Everyone dispersed after that, and Levi watched Mike following Nanaba down the hill with his tail wagging. Levi went to retrieve his and Erwin’s horses, keeping Erwin’s cape wrapped tightly around him as he walked down the hill and towards the edge of the ruins. It dragged on the ground, but he didn’t care; he was still cold, unable to shake the feeling of the frost magic from the lich’s spell lingering on his skin, and even though it had stopped raining every time a gust of wind blew over him his teeth started chattering again.

When he brought their horses back, he saw two fires had been started near the bottom of the hill. One many of the others had already gathered around, and the other Nanaba had placed a large cooking pot on top of. It was already filled with something that smelled like stew, and Hanji was stirring it with her wand while reading the book she’d found in her other hand. Levi eyed the other fire openly, longing for some warmth to help him get rid of the persistent chill. The group sitting near it was that of the other paladin, Gunther, people he had not really had any encounters with yet. Still, he thought they seemed alright, and there was a clear spot across from them near the fire and against a rock that looked very cozy.

Biting his lip, he debated it, eyeing the warm flames and shivering when another cool gust of air blew past him. Wrapping Erwin’s cloak tighter around him, he decided, stepping forward to make his way towards the spot with the rock. These people couldn’t be too bad, could they?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Levi, you came." He said, like he was surprised.
> 
> Levi froze, the focus of Erwin’s eyes on him making his stomach flip. Suddenly he felt nervous, and he swallowed before he spoke, tugging Erwin’s cloak tighter around his shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long(ish) wait, but hopefully it will be worth it ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading, as always!

“Hello. I’m Petra.” Levi was greeted as he made his way over to the group.

The person who spoke to him was the young woman, the archer, if he remembered correctly, and Levi nodded at her, leaning against the rock and holding Erwin’s cape around him. The heat from the fire was warm on his face, and he felt the chill starting to leave him already.

“That’s Gunther, Erd, and this is Auruo.” Petra continued. Gunther and Erd acknowledged him quietly when they were introduced, but Auruo was chugging a beer. Even though Levi could see him eyeing him over his mug, Petra reached over and tugged on his ear anyway to make sure he was paying attention.

“Ow, Petra!” He half yelled, slopping liquid all over the front of his tunic. “Are you going to go get me another beer since you’ve spilled all of this one?!”

Petra ignored him. “I’m an archer. You can probably tell Gunther is a paladin, and Erd is a mage. And-”

“Say, you fight pretty good, don’t you? You pretty much beat the shit out of that lich. ” Auruo interrupted, turning his head and looking at him casually from the side.

Levi shrugged, not really interested in having another conversation about his fighting ability.

“Yeah, I fight kind of like you. I haven’t picked a class yet, but I was thinking about becoming a rogue. They seem pretty cool, I guess.”

Levi raised an eyebrow, looking at him silently because he wasn’t sure what to say. This guy seemed strange; had he just given him some kind of backhanded compliment?

“But last week you were going on and on about becoming a knight...” Petra said. She rolled her eyes at him, and then gave Levi a friendly smile.

Auruo said something back to Petra, and they started arguing. Levi watched them, unsure of what to think. The other two, Gunther and Erd, kept sneaking looks at him, and Levi wondered why they were all so interested. But then he realized how young they were, much younger than the other members of the group he’d met. They were younger than he was, but older than Isabel. Even though they were quieter about it, the look in their eyes was similar to one he often saw in hers: reverence.

Levi could not see why. Isabel was young, but these people were older and they barely knew him. He didn’t have much time to think about it though, because Nanaba came over carrying a large bowl of stew. She gave them all smaller bowls, and allowed them to help themselves before heading back to the other side of camp.

Petra and the others didn’t bother him much once they started eating. Afterward, it was only an hour or two before most everyone went off to get some rest, presumably because they were all exhausted from the battle. The ruined village was quite large and with enough dilapidated structures for everyone to find shelter from the rain, including Erwin, whom Levi had watched swing some kind of cloth material over the three half ruined walls of what had once been some kind of dwelling. He was on the edge of the village, far, far away from the fires, and he had retreated there early, before anyone had even eaten dinner.

_"We'll see."_ Levi had told him, when Erwin asked him to come find him that night. He wasn’t kidding anyone with his words though, especially not himself.

The only thing he wanted to do was go to Erwin, to be alone with him again. His heart beat heavily in his chest with a muted sense of anticipation while he ate, his eyes trained in the direction Erwin had disappeared in nearly the entire time. He could barely concentrate on anything else once the memory of how Erwin’s lips had felt over his own resurfaced in his mind, recalling how thrilling it had felt to have all of Erwin’s intense focus solely on him.

He wanted all of that again and more, so much so that when everyone had finally gone to bed and the camp had grown quiet, he stood up and hurried his way to Erwin’s makeshift tent as if he was being pulled there by an invisible string.

As he rounded the corner of the ruined structure, he realized Erwin had tied a rope over two of its walls and hung another cloth over it to create a tent flap. It was still pulled half open though, and he saw Erwin standing barefoot and dressed only in his thin tunic and pants, so tall that the top of his hair brushed the bottom of the cloth roof. He was reading a scroll, and looked up suddenly when he heard Levi approach.

"Levi, you came." He said, like he was surprised.

Levi froze, the focus of Erwin’s eyes on him making his stomach flip. Suddenly he felt nervous, and he swallowed before he spoke, tugging Erwin’s cloak tighter around his shoulders.

"I brought your cloak back." He said, as if that explained why he was there.

"Ah, are you still cold?" Erwin asked him. He didn't waste any time putting the scroll aside, walking the few feet that still remained between them to stand in front of Levi. His hand went to Levi’s shoulder, his fingers curling into the cloth of the cloak. "You’re shaking."

He was shaking, he realized, but it wasn’t because he was cold. The fire had warmed him up completely and chased away his chill, but now his trembling had nothing to do with that and everything to do with Erwin, with the sudden intensity of everything he felt. He was nervous and excited and full of want all at once, and he bit his lip when he glanced up to see Erwin looking down at him with a soft smile.

“No. Not anymore.” Levi said roughly, scowling even as his cheeks turned red.

Erwin let out a quiet chuckle, tightening his fingers into the cloak and pulling him closer.

“Come here, Levi.” He murmured, bending to barely brush his lips against Levi’s cheek.

Levi felt his breath and pulse quicken as he did so, standing still while Erwin pressed his mouth to his skin. He was so close Levi could feel his warmth, and he smelled like rain and sweat and smoke from the campfire all at once. He paused after he kissed him, his lips lingering near his cheek. Levi could feel his gaze, studying him like he was waiting to see what he was going to do.

It was like he was giving him an out again, a chance to leave if he had for some reason decided he didn’t want to do this. Levi knew without any doubt that he wanted to though, so instead of leaving he slid his eyes over to look at Erwin. He felt his stomach flip again but he forced himself to ignore it, taking a breath before he turned his head to catch the side of Erwin’s mouth in a kiss.

It was a second or two before Erwin reacted, moving his hand from Levi’s shoulder and sliding it up to grasp the back of his neck. Then they shifted almost at the same time, Levi reaching up to grasp a handful of Erwin’s hair to tug him closer and Erwin directing Levi’s head to the side so he could kiss him full on the mouth. Levi melted against him instantly, opening his mouth and closing his eyes, pushing himself up onto his tiptoes and reaching for Erwin eagerly.

Erwin’s response was immediate this time, wrapping both his arms around Levi to hold him tightly. He kissed him fervently like he had that morning, and just like that, Levi forgot all about the nervous pit in his stomach. He relaxed, losing himself in the movements of Erwin’s lips, focusing only on how he felt against him and how he smelled, how warm his mouth was and how good the slide of his tongue was against his own.

It wasn’t long before Levi made a needy sound in his throat and started tugging at Erwin’s clothing, aiming to get it out of the way so he could press his hands against Erwin’s bare skin. It made Erwin break away without warning, his gaze tearing away from Levi to look behind him. He jerked the tent flap closed and then reached for Levi’s tunic, winding his fingers tightly in the fabric. He pulled him backwards into the tent and Levi let Erwin lead him, looking up at him with wide eyes.

They were both breathless already, and Erwin was staring down at Levi with the same intense, determined look he had when he was fighting, his lips pulled into a tight frown of concentration. It made Levi flush all over, made a coil of heat tighten in his belly, and he reached for him again just as they stepped over Erwin's makeshift bed. Erwin dropped down onto his knees and Levi went with him, practically falling into his lap to straddle his thighs.

He scrambled to grab him so he could kiss him again, wrapping his arms around his neck almost faster than Erwin could catch him. He pulled away a few seconds later almost just as quickly, tugging Erwin’s shirt over his head like he wanted so he could trail his hands down his chest. He felt the hard muscle underneath his fingers again and paused, breathing heavily as he lowered his eyes to rove over Erwin’s torso.

“You’re very eager.” Erwin said then into the darkness, pressing his lips against Levi’s temple while he touched him.

“Are you complaining?” Levi answered, moving a hand suddenly to palm at the bulge in Erwin’s pants, ears perking up at the quiet gasp he got in response.

“Of course not.” Erwin’s hands had started to wander too, his fingers pushing up the layers of Levi’s clothing to explore, making his skin burn hot wherever they brushed over. His head lowered so he could mouth at Levi’s neck, his lips moving over it gently when he spoke. “You did well tonight, Levi, when we were fighting.”

Levi had tilted his head back and closed his eyes, enjoying how Erwin’s lips felt on his throat and expecting him to go lower, but he opened them again widely and looked down at him over his cheeks when he realized he’d suddenly started speaking in elvish. It made him feel like Erwin’s words were for him and him only, and what he said made Levi curl his fingers into Erwin’s bare shoulders, biting his lip and closing his eyes again.

“You were so good. You did everything I asked.” Erwin said to him, his voice low and syrupy even though he barely spoke in more than a whisper. Levi made a quiet moan at his words and suddenly felt one of Erwin’s hands grab his ass, so firmly that it made his hips twitch.

Erwin shushed him gently, kissing along his jaw, sucking on a spot below his ear. Levi felt his teeth next, biting at the skin hard enough to make him gasp before he spoke again. “But I need you to do one more thing. I need you to be quiet for me or the others might overhear. Can you do that, Levi?”

“Yeah.” Levi breathed, nodding almost dazedly. His head was swimming, and he felt like he could barely think over how good Erwin’s lips felt on his skin and the warm, teasing brushes of his fingertips underneath his clothing. He was holding his back with one hand, his other gripping Levi’s ass tightly, and he nodded again with a swallow and tried to focus, rolling his hips once against Erwin’s. “Yeah, fuck. Just get on with it.”

“What’s the rush?” Erwin chuckled, but then focused on removing Levi’s clothing anyway, his hands pushing up his tunic and cloak and undershirt until they were lifted over his head.

The cape he’d worn over his shoulders had fallen off at some point, and all that was left was his boots and pants, and the belt holding his daggers. Erwin removed the belt and then kissed him again, his mouth hard and demanding, before turning his attention back to Levi’s ear. He mouthed at it, nibbling on it with his teeth until Levi shivered.

“Your ears are so sensitive.” Erwin murmured, his lips brushing against the skin, pausing to run his tongue along the line of it. Levi made a small noise in his throat, squirming in Erwin’s tight grip.

“So what?” He gasped, his face reddening. “Aren’t yours?”

“Not like this.” Erwin said in response, curving his lips up into a smile that Levi could feel on his skin. He nipped at his ear once more and Levi gasped harshly, grabbing at Erwin’s hair with a hand to jerk his head away.

“Dammit, stop teasing.” He panted before kissing Erwin again, sliding his tongue into his open mouth before he bit down hard on his bottom lip. “Just hurry up and fuck me.”

Erwin responded by flipping them over immediately onto the blanket, spreading Levi’s legs with a knee and pinning him down.

“Is that what you want?” He asked, his voice barely a whisper. He trailed a hand down Levi’s side while he spoke, gripping his ass again when Levi arched against him.

“Yeah.” Levi said breathlessly, fingers digging into Erwin’s shoulders. “I’ve been thinking about it all fucking day.”

Erwin smiled and bent to kiss him once quickly, trailing his lips down his neck before pulling away again. “I have too. Turn over for me, on your stomach.”

Levi obeyed instantly as Erwin sat up, rolling over as fast as he could and biting his lip as they adjusted together. His heart pounded in his chest when Erwin settled between his legs, pulling off his boots first and then reaching underneath Levi to slide his pants off. Levi lifted his hips so he could, burying his face into the blanket to hide how flushed with need he was, how quickly his breath had started to come again with renewed anticipation.

He was almost trembling again, every one of his senses and all of his nerves on edge, trying to resist grinding his swollen cock against the ground when Erwin started touching him. He ran his hands down his back, sliding them down to grip his waist. He bent over him, pressing his lips to his lower back, mouthing at the skin above his ass. He kissed the dimples there and Levi squirmed, making a whining noise in his throat and looking at Erwin over his shoulder.

“You’re beautiful.” Erwin said quietly, his eyes still trained on Levi’s backside. He ran a hand over it and Levi flushed at his words, turning his head back around and burying it into the blankets.

He felt his finger teasing between his cheeks next, a light touch that had his hips twitching backwards. Just as soon as it was there it was gone again though, and Erwin stood up to walk across the tent. Levi watched him over his shoulder, heard him rustling around for what he hoped was oil, each sound making his heart pound harder in his chest with excitement until Erwin returned.

Then there was a hand on his thigh sliding up his leg to grip his ass again, and a slicked up finger running between Levi’s cheeks. This time he gasped, his hips raising automatically in response to the touch, his eyes going lidded at the thought of feeling it inside him.

“Erwin…” He whined, his voice high and needy, gripping the blankets when Erwin pressed the tip of his finger to his entrance teasingly.

“Don’t forget to be quiet.” Erwin reminded him gently. He slipped the finger inside him then and Levi squeezed his eyes shut, turning to press his face into the cloth beneath him to muffle the noise he made.

Levi was so worked up that it sounded like a moan of relief, and it was only half a second before he was spreading his legs, using his knees to lift his ass and push against Erwin’s hand eagerly. He was impatient and it felt good, the pressure welcome as Erwin fingered him. He wanted more, but Erwin seemed intent on taking his time here too, rubbing at his insides and twisting his finger until Levi was squirming and he finally added a second.

The stretch he felt when Erwin worked his fingers into him barely bothered him, but he opened him up at a tortuously slow pace. Levi never stilled his hips, just relished in the slow strokes of Erwin’s fingers on sensitive nerves, pressing back against his hand every time he slipped them inside. By the time Erwin had fit in a third finger he was desperate for it to be his cock though, and he turned his head again, biting hard on his bottom lip to keep from moaning at what he saw.

Erwin’s face was flushed too now, and apparently at some point he’d pulled his cock out of his pants. His hand was wrapped around it and he was stroking himself, watching Levi beneath him. But when Levi looked at him he let go, and his eyes immediately latched onto Erwin’s full length. Fuck, he’d known he was huge - he’d jerked him off himself the night before, after all - but seeing it like this behind him made his eyes widen. He licked his lips, the thought of that going into his ass making his face heat up all over again and his belly tighten.

“Erwin, fuck-” He whined, tightening his fingers into the blankets and pulling at it, pressing himself back against his hand to try to tell him what he wanted.

“Are you ready?” Erwin asked, thankfully getting the hint.

His voice was soft and he withdrew his fingers to palm at Levi’s ass gently, and it was almost amusing in contrast to how desperately Levi nodded.  

“Get up, on your knees.” Erwin said, grabbing his hips and helping him to sit up.

Levi heard him grasp the oil to slick up his cock, his hands leaving his hips only to return to his ass a moment later. Erwin spread his cheeks and the next thing Levi knew he was pressing into him, the head slipping past his entrance and rendering him still.

His mouth dropped open immediately and his breath caught in his throat, the feeling of Erwin’s thick cock sinking into him much more intense than his fingers had been. Beneath him, Levi’s legs trembled, the iron grip Erwin had on his hips now almost distracting him from the pressure and stretch in his ass. By the time he bottomed out, though, Levi was just focused on breathing, groaning quietly in his throat while Erwin waited for him to adjust.

“Are you alright?” He murmured from behind Levi after a few more moments, causing him to jerk his head up.

“Yeah.” He breathed, his mouth hanging open. Whatever discomfort he might have felt was gone now, replaced by a nearly overwhelming feeling of fullness. Erwin’s cock was lodged somewhere deep inside him, and even though it was satisfying, he needed more. “Are you gonna move?”

That was all Erwin needed apparently before he rolled his hips, pulling out almost all the way before pushing into him again slowly, almost experimentally. A loud moan fell from Levi’s throat before he could stop it, followed by a curse. He couldn’t help it, the friction from the drag of Erwin’s cock on his insides made pleasure spark along his skin, and he snapped his mouth closed, biting at the inside of his cheek to try to muffle any other sounds that might come out once Erwin started thrusting.

It was hard to keep quiet like this, without his face pressed against something. The sound that had slipped out seemed to encourage Erwin though, and he wasted no time in fucking Levi at a steady pace, going harder and deeper each thrust. It wasn’t long before Levi was panting wetly and pushing back eagerly, desperately trying to get him to go faster. Erwin grinded against his ass every time he bottomed out, his fingers digging into Levi’s hips to hold him still so he could do what he wanted before he pulled back and then pressed into him again.

He started to go faster though before long, and Levi arched his back at a particularly sharp thrust, causing the next one to press against his prostate and another loud noise to escape from his mouth. Erwin didn’t stop though, just angled his next one there so that Levi moaned again.

Suddenly he was pressed down against the blanket, Erwin leaning over him onto one elbow and reaching under him to roughly shove his hand over his mouth. Levi could hear him panting now, his warm breath ghosting over his shoulder, and he couldn’t stop the small noises that fell from his throat into Erwin’s palm when he started fucking him harder. He couldn’t help it, not when the pleasure was rolling over him in waves, the firm movements of Erwin’s cock and the feel of him covering Levi completely nearly overwhelming him.

He could barely focus on anything other than the slow tension building in every muscle of his body, and even though he had been told to be quiet, the fact that he had completely lost the ability to control the sounds coming out of his mouth only seemed to push Erwin to drive into him harder. He was thrusting into him with enough force to make Levi’s hips rock forward, and once he found the perfect angle Levi had to bite down on his fingers in an effort to stop the near keening sounds that were coming from his throat.

He squeezed his eyes shut, gripping the blanket until his knuckles were white and throwing his head back against Erwin's shoulder, the tightness in his belly growing with every thrust. Erwin mouthed at the skin on the back of his neck, biting down on it to muffle a groan of his own when Levi clenched around him, his other hand sliding underneath to grip Levi’s cock.

“Are you about to come?” Erwin breathed into his ear, stroking him a few times along with his thrusts.

Levi just moaned in response around his fingers, nodding once as his hips jerked. He nodded again when Erwin didn’t stop, rubbing his cock and rocking into him roughly, and again more frantically when the pleasure built tighter and tighter. Suddenly he was coming with one particularly sharp thrust into his ass, making a near choking sound into Erwin’s hand as he shuddered. It felt so good that he lost himself in the feeling for a moment, not even realizing he’d bitten down and latched his teeth into Erwin’s skin while his orgasm rolled through him.

Behind him, Erwin’s thrusts had become less controlled, his breathing erratic. It wasn’t long before he finished too, burying himself deep inside Levi and stilling with a grunt. He pressed his face against Levi’s back after a moment, panting and kissing him there lazily while he tried to catch his breath. After a moment, he rolled off of him, practically collapsing beside him and slinging his arm out above Levi’s head.

Levi opened his eyes from where he’d closed them dazedly, his gaze immediately catching sight of the marks indented into Erwin's skin from where he’d bit down. He flushed warmly while he stared at it, only realizing after another second that Erwin was watching him with his head turned to the side and cheeks pink with exertion.

"Well, you only just managed not to break the skin." Erwin said, his voice still low, moving his hand to card his fingers through Levi's hair. "Did it feel that good?"

Levi could barely think to form a response. He was torn between telling Erwin to not get cocky - even though he sounded more like he was speaking in awe than anything else - or telling him that if he fucked him like that everytime he'd do anything he wanted. He was exhausted though, had already been tired from the fighting and now this. His limbs felt heavy, and his entire body still hummed pleasantly with the residual effects of his orgasm.

“I think you didn’t quite wake up everyone in the camp, either.”

"If anyone asks, I'll just tell them you were trying to kill me." Levi’s words were barely a mumble, and Erwin smiled softly at him from a foot away, a quiet laugh in his throat.

“You can stay here if you want.” He said after a moment, his fingers trailing down Levi’s cheek.

The softness of the gesture and his words made his already flushed skin feel even hotter, somehow, and he broke their gaze, averting his eyes downward while he thought.

“You don’t have to.” Erwin said, watching him. “I just thought it’d be better than sleeping in a tree again.”

Levi snorted, but had to agree. He’d much rather sleep here than outside, so he bit his lip and looked back up at Erwin, nodding once.

“Come here.” He said, giving him a smile.

Before he knew it, Erwin was pulling at him, dragging him across the blanket so he could wrap an arm around him and press him against his side. He lifted Levi’s arm to drape it across his chest, and then buried his fingers in his hair again.

"What are you doing?" Levi blurted, caught off guard and tensing immediately.

"Lying here." Erwin answered like it was obvious, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. “With you. I thought you said you wanted to stay?”

That wasn't what Levi meant, he just hadn’t been expecting to be held so suddenly. He wasn’t used to it, to this sort of closeness, but after a moment he had to admit it was nice. Erwin was warm and solid, and Levi's eyelids were starting to droop heavily.

Besides, there was a wet spot on his side of the blanket from where he'd come that he didn't want to lie in.

Erwin fell asleep in what seemed like less than a minute, and lulled by the sounds of his breathing, Levi relaxed against him and did too. When he woke up a few hours later, the sun was rising, and he was still lying in the same position, his face pressed against Erwin's chest and both his arm and leg slung over him. Erwin's fingers were no longer in his hair though; instead, his arm was wound behind Levi's back, his hand holding the side of Levi's ass where he’d thrown his leg over him. His face warmed when he stirred and realized it, squinting up at Erwin who wasn't even awake. He was snoring, and apparently couldn't keep his hands off Levi's ass even in his sleep.

He shifted, lifting his head to look around. It was growing light in the tent, and he could hear birds chirping cheerfully and the quiet sounds of the other members of the camp stirring outside.

"Ugh..." He grimaced, when he moved his leg and realized how disgusting he felt. He hadn't washed himself off last night, he'd been too fucked out from what Erwin had done to him. He sat up, wincing. For fucks sake, his ass was sore, too. The realization actually made him flush though, the memory of just how good it had been coming back to him.

Judging by how light it was in the tent, the sun must have almost risen completely. He got up quietly, sliding out of Erwin’s embrace and looking around for a skin of water. He almost cursed when he didn’t see one - there was no fucking way he was going to put his clothes back on, go outside, and wash himself off in disgusting swamp water. Just then, though, he saw where Erwin had apparently set up a small basin in the corner of the tent to catch dripping rainwater. He found a cloth, and managed to wash himself off thoroughly before he heard stirring behind him.

Levi turned around to see Erwin eyeing him sleepily. He sat up and stretched languidly, and then got up to join Levi at the basin.

“Good morning.” He said, placing a hand on the back of Levi’s neck and bending to kiss him like it was the most natural thing in the world. He pressed his lips to his forehead and then his mouth, letting them linger sweetly, before standing up straight again and idly rubbing the stubble on his face.

Levi was still holding the cloth draped over both his hands, and he looked up at Erwin for a moment before he set it down and went to go get dressed. He watched Erwin shave while he put his clothing back on, using a tiny, cracked mirror that was so dirty Levi didn't know how he could even see himself. The sight of him slowly running the blade over his lathered skin was appealing though, for some reason, and when he paused to rinse it off between strokes Levi stared at his ass. He stared at his legs too, long and lean, and his broad back and shoulders, watching the subtle way his muscles shifted under his skin when he moved.

"Are you waiting on me, Levi?" Erwin asked him suddenly, the vaguest hint of amusement in his voice. He must have seen Levi eyeing him in the mirror, because he didn’t even turn around or skip a beat shaving until a moment later, when he shifted, and Levi’s gaze automatically dropped down to stare at his bare ass again. When he looked back up, Erwin had turned his head, giving him a knowing look over his shoulder.

"No." Levi said cooly, bending to grab the belt holding his daggers. He walked out of the tent, fastening it around his waist and carefully taking the long way around the outskirts of camp so no one would notice where he came from. Everyone was too busy though, packing up and feeding the horses and eating breakfast. Levi found some food and an apple, and sat down against a rock by where he’d tied his horse and started eating.

Before long, Erwin came out fully dressed in his armor and cape, his things all packed up and ready to go. He ate with Mike and Nanaba, and when they were finished, he saw Erwin beckon him over. Mike was standing a few feet in front of the others when he approached, blocking his path, and for a second Levi did not think he was going to move. There was a moment where they looked at each other - Mike staring down at him with a frown and Levi looking up at him stubbornly. He could see Erwin behind him watching with concern, and just as he was opening his mouth to say something, Mike sniffed and stepped aside, and Levi went to stand next to Erwin.

“This is our route for today.” He began when Mike followed behind Levi, shooting them both one last curious look before he crouched to lay out a map on the ground. He pointed at a spot on the map where the swamp was sketched out in a faded illustration of black water, dead looking trees, and crumbling ruins. He began to trace a line north with his finger. “We’ll be out of this swamp before lunch, and then -”

“Erwin! Erwin, look at this!” Someone shouted suddenly. It was Hanji, running up from the other side of the camp frantically. She looked completely frazzled and like she hadn’t slept at all the night before, her hair sticking up worse than usual and her robes a rumpled mess. But her eyes were bright behind her smudged glasses, and as she approached Levi saw that she was holding the book the lich had dropped.

“Hanji - there you are.” Erwin said patiently, watching her catch her breath. Moblit had come with her, and he looked much worse for wear than she did, with a dazed look on his face and dark circles under his eyes. He was holding an armful of scrolls - so many that they were falling out of his arms, and his hair too was sticking up wildly.

“Erwin!” Hanji huffed again, speaking quickly and adjusting her glasses. “I found something! It took me all night, but I managed to decipher some of the text in this book. I propose that we head to Karanes immediately.”

“Can you explain?” Erwin said, the look on his face very serious.

“Yes, look here.” Hanji bent and sat on her knees, placing the book on top of Erwin’s map. She opened it and started flipping through its pages, while at the same time reaching behind her. Moblit began rifling hurriedly through the scrolls he held in his arms with one hand, pulling one out after a few seconds and thrusting it into Hanji’s outstretched palm.

She rolled it out next to the book, and Levi looked at it curiously, trying to see what might be on it.

“This is one of the scrolls I’ve collected since I began studying dark iron. It really just contains basic information - what it looks like, where it can be found, how its used for crafting - that sort of thing. Nothing I haven’t been able to find elsewhere, except for this.”

She pointed at a line of writing in the corner of the scroll that was in a language Levi had never seen before. The letters consisted of strange runes and symbols, but beneath it, ‘dark iron’ was written in a variety of other scripts, including elvish, orcish, and the human tongue.

“When I first found this scroll, I wasn’t sure what language that was. I assumed it was just ‘dark iron’ written in an old tongue, but its the same language this book is written in - look.”

With her other hand, Hanji pointed at the page she had stopped at in the book. Clearly written in the middle of it was the same phrase found on her scroll, next to an obvious sketch of dark iron. Erwin followed the movements of her hand, his eyes moving over the writing she pointed out and the expression on his face one of intense thought.

“I believe these pages are describing some kind of spell, or ritual.” She continued, flipping to the next page. There was a drawn depiction of spellcasting, of figures in robes chanting around a platform. On top of it was another figure, lying on its back and engulfed in some kind of light. “These sorcerers, or whatever they are, are holding something. I can’t tell what it is but the phrase appears again here.”

She pointed, and Levi saw the same sequence of symbols written above the figures, who,  just as she said, all held some kind of small object in their hands.

“Now look at this, Erwin.”

When Hanji turned to the next page, Levi felt an unexplainable cold chill run through his blood. It was the same drawing as on the other page, except now the figure on the platform had sat up. On the opposite page, the sorcerers were all pointing in the same direction, and as Hanji continued flipping through the book the figure rose from the platform and walked in the direction the sorcerers were indicating. The drawings showed its head surrounded by some kind of aura or light - one that was coming from the hands of the sorcerers. The depictions were crude, but the implications seemed clear to Levi, and judging by the concerned and grim looks Hanji and Erwin wore, he was right in assuming it was illustrating mind control.

“I can’t read the text, so I can’t know for sure what this means, but…”

Hanji flipped backwards to the front of the book, where sketches that were almost completely identical to the mind control ones were shown, except the figure on the platform was a skeleton.

“I believe this is some kind of book on necromancy, and obviously other things, but the fact that it shows dark iron -”

“Means that our theories about mind control on the living using dark iron are more than likely correct.” Erwin said. He stood up then, but continued staring down at the book with a frown, his brows drawn.

“I think so. Why did you say that this lich being here wasn’t a coincidence? Did it talk?”

“It did talk, but it didn’t say anything of importance. Right before it died, its eyes turned purple. You saw it too, didn’t you, Levi?”

When Erwin looked at him, so did everyone else. But he had seen it, he remembered it clearly even though he hadn’t thought about it much, the lich’s glowing purple eyes focusing on him just as his fingers closed around its phylactery.

“Yeah, that asshole looked right at me.”

“Hanji, Karanes is over a month northwest of here. Its a considerable detour, and will add a lot of time to our travel and put strain on our provisions. What will they have that will help us?” Erwin asked her.

Karanes was something like the magical capitol of the region. It was where mages, warlocks, and sorcerers of all kinds went to study, train, and learn. It was one of the most populated cities, too, and even though Levi had heard of it, he had never been there.

“Their library will have scrolls on this language. I could decipher the rest of the book, maybe find more information about dark iron, at the very least!” Hanji had started to look excited at the prospect of researching, and rolled up the scroll on the ground before shoving it back into Moblit’s arms.

“At the very least?” Erwin said. He did not look convinced yet, Levi thought.

“We’re dealing with mind control here, Erwin, the evidence is astounding! We need all the information we can get on it, and Karanes will have that too.”

“But mind control is forbidden magic, Hanji.” Erwin said. “Scrolls and books on that will be locked up, even to study it is considered taboo. You know that as well as I do. You would have to get permission to access that information.”

“Yes, of course, but -”

“Just requesting permission to view material on mind control would make us look suspicious. The mage council doesn’t take things like this lightly, from what I’ve heard. Last night, didn’t you mention that you doubted you would even be granted access to scrolls on the language?”

“I did, and you’re right, requesting access to materials on mind control _would_ make the mage council suspicious. They don’t value curiosity, you see. Or rather, they only do if it fits their narrow definition of proper magic. But don't you think it's worth it to try? All of our theories about this, about the titans being mind controlled using the dark iron somehow - this book is proof that it's at least possible. Shouldn't we try to find out everything we can about it so we know what we’re up against?"

Erwin was silent for a long moment, obviously thinking.

"I do agree." He said eventually. "That we should research this. But that still doesn't answer the question of how we get access to the material. Submitting a request isn't an option - you've gotten into trouble with the mage council before, and the representative from the paladin's guild will know me. They don't trust me, so therefore they won't trust anyone else in our group."

He paused for a moment, and beside him Hanji was practically vibrating with excitement, her sharp eyes bright and fixed on him like she could sense what he was about to say.  

"However...I know someone that might be able to help." Erwin murmured, and Hanji screamed so loud that everyone in the camp stopped what they were doing to look over at them.

"I knew it!" She shouted, slapping Erwin on the back roughly. "I knew you’d figure something out, Erwin, if you wanted to. We're going to Karanes! Oh - think of all the scrolls I'll get to read!"

She looked blissful at the thought, and apparently the news that they were going was enough for her, because she then grabbed the sleeve of Moblit's robe and began to drag him off.

"Are you sure about this, Erwin?" Mike said suddenly. He and Nanaba had been silent the entire time Hanji was speaking to Erwin, but now he spoke up with a disdainful sniff. "Who are you planning to ask for help? If the mage council gets wind that you're up to something, then it could jeopardize everything."

"They won't. I'm talking about an old friend, one who I believe will have an interest in this situation as well. Even if he doesn't want to help, he won't turn me in. Trust me."

Mike was silent for a moment, but then he nodded, even if the frown didn't leave his face.

"Alright." Erwin said then, bending back down to look at the map. "Karanes is northwest of here. We'll head north out of the swamp, and then make our way west. If we stretch our provisions and fish and hunt along the way, we'll be able to make it fine. If not, we can always detour here, to Stohess. It's about halfway, but would only be a day or two out of the way if we see we aren't going to make it. Let's pack up, I want to get out of this swamp before lunch."

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi’s eyes locked onto the tub when he saw it, and then he moved out from behind Erwin, making a beeline over to inspect it. He was still so fucking dirty that at that moment, it was one of the most amazing things he’d ever seen in his life.
> 
> “Shall I run us a bath, Levi?” Erwin said, coming up behind him to appraise the tub.
> 
> “Yeah. I want to take a bath.” Levi answered immediately, eyes locked onto the faucet before he turned around to face Erwin. “And then I want your cock. In that order.”

Although Levi was more than glad to get out of the damp and dirty swamp, he wasn't sure how he felt about going to Karanes. The city was almost fabled where he came from, built entirely by magic users, and stories often circulated about how magnificent it was and the strange, wonderful things that could be found there. He didn’t doubt that the tales were exaggerated somewhat, but by the end of their journey, Levi just hoped that they'd have a place where he could take a bath.

It ended up taking them almost two months to get there. They'd made good time at first, and managed to keep their supplies up through rationing and hunting. Levi was a pretty good hunter, given his ability to silently stalk prey, and it turned out that Petra and Auruo were too. Petra, the archer, was impressive with her bow and arrow, and even if Auruo had actually never considered becoming a rogue before he met Levi he wasn’t bad at sneaking around. Together and with Levi leading and giving them pointers and tips, they managed to catch enough food to feed the whole group almost every day. 

Levi found he didn't mind sitting with them, either. Auruo seemed to somehow always have a neverending supply of ale, one that he was all too happy to share with Levi, and his and Petra's friends, Erd and Gunther, were alright too. Gunther was a paladin, but he seemed more like Erwin's version of one - that is, he didn’t seem to have a giant stick up his ass like most of them did. Erd was a mage, but so far, Levi had only seen him use his magic to clean up around the camp and boil tea in the morning. They asked him questions about himself, where he was from and about his skills, but not in a way that made him uncomfortable. 

They decided not to detour to Stohess, because they were doing so well and things were running so smoothly. There had been no other monstrous or ghostly encounters, except for one night when Erwin and Levi strayed too far from the camp and another group of creatures attacked them in the middle of the night. They'd camped half a mile away from a lake, and Levi had wanted to wash off. Erwin went with him, and even though he'd tried to wait until they got back, he just couldn’t, and he’d shoved Erwin up against a tree so he could drop down and suck him off right there, going against both their better judgment. 

He'd felt Erwin freeze up halfway through - and not because of the two fingers, wet with spit, that he’d shoved up his ass to make him shudder - and grip the back of his neck hard enough to make him stop and lift his gaze. When he did, he saw that Erwin was staring out into the darkness with an alert expression, his eyes wide and his breathing stilled. Then he heard scurrying, and just as Erwin's hand moved to grasp the handle of his sword, Levi pulled back to unsheath both his daggers. He rolled over backwards into a crouch and sliced something that was running towards them, sending both halves of it flying in opposite directions. 

"You’ll probably want to put your dick up for this." He said dryly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, looking out at the hundreds of pairs of beady, purple eyes he saw staring back at him. Behind him he heard Erwin snort, and then the sounds of him drawing his sword and shield and mumbling a defensive spell. 

This time the creatures were fucking kobolds, a whole nest’s worth of them, nasty rat like things with whiskers and a bad bite. These had been sent after Erwin like the other times they'd been attacked, and together they managed to take all of them out without any major injuries. Levi got a moderately deep scratch on his face that he hadn't even felt through the adrenaline and the rush he got fighting with Erwin, but that was it. Erwin just healed it when they dragged themselves back, murmuring the words into his ear between kisses after he'd pushed Levi down and pressed himself against him, grinding against his ass again and shoving his fingers into Levi's mouth so he wouldn't make any noise. 

Things went well up until they got too far to turn back for Stohess. It was strange, almost like they were being watched, because they ran into trouble when they were at their most vulnerable. The landscape surrounding Karanes was made up of dry, grassy plains, with not many places to find water, and the closer they got the harder it became to find food from hunting. The wildlife was more scare and they had to rely on their rations, which were low, and stretching them until their estimated arrival meant eating 2 meals a day instead of 3. 

Still, their situation hadn’t become terrible, not yet. It wasn’t until they were a few nights away that things got even worse, and they were awakened hours before dawn by a low rumbling sound growing in the distance. 

“...the fuck is that?” Levi had mumbled sleepily against Erwin’s chest after the noise caused him to stir, wiping at the drool on his face and cracking his eyes half open. 

“Hmm?” Erwin answered, shifting slightly and making a vague questioning noise without opening his eyes, even less awake than Levi was. 

Levi wondered if he was dreaming at first, but as he listened, the rumbling sound began to get louder. It was almost like the ground was vibrating every couple of seconds, rattling the things in Erwin’s bags like he was hearing the footsteps of some giant creature approaching. That thought woke Levi up fully, and he jerked himself up into a sitting position, reaching for his clothing when he fully realized something was amiss.

Erwin was waking up too, then, but Levi only managed to get his pants and boots on and Erwin just the lower half of his armor before the creature crashed into camp. It was a golem, the biggest one Levi had ever seen, and of course it had the same purple eyes as every other fucking thing they’d fought. It turned their camp into chaos in a matter of seconds, smashing two of their carts by the time anyone was able to scramble up to distract it. It was followed by a group of miniature golems that barely came up to Levi’s knees, that seemed to be everywhere in the camp at once, running around, causing havoc, and wrecking everything in sight. 

Levi was pretty sure Hanji glimpsed him practically exploding shirtless out of the tent they’d made again with Erwin half dressed behind him, but there was no time to worry about it. He launched himself toward the first thing he saw - one of the smaller golems - and knocked its head off by bashing it with the bottom of one of his daggers. They were made of rock, which was a problem because he couldn’t slice at them. Fortunately, though, they were still easy to destroy; a hit to the head or a hard kick to the chest would knock their head off or send them crumbling. The problem was they were stupidly fast and hard to catch for something that was made of stone, darting around the tents and carts and other objects in their camp almost too quickly for even Levi to handle. 

He had chased two down and was going after a third when suddenly he heard Mike’s loud voice, shouting a spell that suddenly caused thick vines to erupt from the ground and trap all of the remaining tiny golems in place. Levi stopped, surprised, watching as the more they struggled, the tighter the vines tightened around them. A second later and Mike appeared in his line of vision, running past him before he disappeared into a puff of smoke. In his place there was a snarling, shaggy wolf, one that jumped into the air and tackled the nearest golem, knocking its head off with a pair of huge paws. Levi darted forward again, and together, with the golems held in place, they managed to kill all of them before Mike’s vine spell wore off. 

Erwin and Gunther were holding off the monster one, and Levi didn’t waste any time sprinting over to help once they’d finished off the smaller ones. He stopped though, when he reached Erwin, because he was not sure what he could do. The others had been easy for him to destroy, but this one was huge - as big as a fucking building - and it didn’t seem like just hitting it or slicing at it would do much good. 

“Hanji! Moblit! Blast its joints!” Erwin was shouting as he ran up, ducking to dodge the monster’s huge arm. 

His shield didn’t seem to do much good protecting him from it, so he’d casted his bubble already and another defensive spell that seemed to make it move in slow motion. It gave him time to dodge, which was good, because Levi was sure that one direct hit from the creature would send Erwin flying. 

Off to his side, Hanji was planting her feet and rolling up her sleeves. She looked positively manic, a dark look on her face as she grabbed her staff and closed her eyes, mumbling spells and incantations under her breath. Moblit did the same, and so did Erd behind them, and within seconds fire had exploded beneath both of the golem’s arms, sending tiny bits of rock and dust everywhere.

“Aim for its neck!” Erwin yelled, deflecting a large chunk of rock with his shield. It flew over Levi’s head and he ducked, catching Erwin’s eye as he glanced at him. 

“Stay put, Levi.” He told him, apparently sensing some of the anxiousness he felt.

He wasn’t worried, but he didn’t like standing there and not doing anything while the others fought the golem, even if he wasn’t sure what he could do. But still, he nodded, watching Hanji and the other mages repeat their spells and blast at its neck this time. He gripped his daggers tightly, wondering for a moment if this was going to work when there seemed to be no effect. 

They kept trying, though, and after the fifth spell they’d casted the rocks under the golem’s neck appeared to be smoking. By then it was just Hanji and Moblit casting spells and Erwin holding it off because Gunther and Erd had run out of energy, and although all of them appeared to still be going strong, Levi could see that they were all starting to look a bit strained.

Finally, though, after one more spell the golem froze, and Levi heard a loud cracking sound. It was it’s head, a large split suddenly appearing right through the middle of its eyes. A second later a huge whoosh of air erupted from the wound, and then Erwin started yelling for everyone to run. 

Everyone around them sprinted away, and as Levi got ready to follow he noticed Erwin was the only one not moving. He was standing still, in the same spot as before, and staring up at the golem with a frown. Levi turned back towards him to ask him what the fuck he was doing, but he only got one word out of his mouth before Erwin whipped his head around at the exact same time as the golem shuddered violently.

Then he was shouting Levi’s name and diving on top of him, shoving him to the ground so hard that it knocked the breath out of him. He raised his shield over their heads and casted another bubble, the light from it flashing so brightly that Levi cursed and had to close his eyes. After that, he heard another loud rumble, and then the unmistakable sounds of an avalanche of large rock pieces crumbling to the ground all around them. 

Levi opened his eyes after a few seconds once things stilled, cracking his lids open to see Erwin staring down at him. His blue eyes were open wide and focused intently on his face, looking down at him like he’d been shocked with something. He was panting so heavily too that Levi thought he’d been injured for a second, but then he saw that Erwin’s bubble and shield had managed to protect them both from all of the falling rock. They laid there for another moment, Erwin’s head framed by clouds of dust floating down from the air, illuminated eerily by his glow. The way he was looking at him had caught Levi so off guard that he couldn’t move, but then Erwin rolled off him suddenly, lying back on the ground to try and catch his breath. 

"What the hell was that?" Levi mumbled, sitting up once the moment had passed. "You weren't going to run?"

"You should have run, Levi, when I told you to."

"What? Like hell I was going to leave you there!" 

Levi was confused by what had happened, by how he seemed to only give a shit about the fact that Levi was in danger and not himself, and by how he seriously expected Levi to just fucking run away while he was still standing there in front of a collapsing golem. Erwin frowned but didn't say anything else, though, because Nanaba had run up to see if they were alright. 

Levi pushed himself up onto his two feet while she looked them over, coughing at the thick dust that was still hanging heavily in the air. He wasn’t injured, but looking down at himself, he cringed. He was filthy, completely covered in a layer of dust, dirt, and grime that stuck to his sweaty skin in streaks, coating his hair and getting all into the cracks of his leather and clothing. It was from fighting the miniature golems, no doubt, and from all the exploding rock and other matter that had shot into the air when the huge one had died. It was disgusting, and he already itched to clean himself off.

He wasn’t the only one, though. Everyone looked ten times dirtier than they had been before, including Erwin, whose armor was so caked with dust that Levi was sure he could write his name with his finger on his breastplate. He was apparently bruised up, Levi realized with a start when he saw Nanaba going over to tend to him, and his shield arm had been hurt from blocking the golem's swings. He watched her sit him up, saw him set his jaw when she extended his arm out for healing, and had to resist the sudden urge he had to reach out to him to comfort.

"How bad is the damage?" Erwin said quietly when Mike approached a second later, back in human form now that the battle was over. 

"Pretty damn bad, Erwin. We lost the two carts that had our food in them. A third has a broken wheel that we need to repair, and half the water barrels we had left were busted by flying rocks. Everyone's pretty banged up, and someone got knocked out by a boulder. Auruo broke his leg, but Gunther's healing him now."

Erwin’s only response was a dark frown, his gaze fixed intently onto the ground. 

"We're still one, maybe two weeks from Karanes. We'll need to repair the wagon as quickly as possible so we can get out of here. The water situation is a problem, but there’s a river perhaps another day’s travel from here. Its out of the way, and if we go there, we risk not having enough food. I think if we stretch, though, and have even just a little bit of luck hunting, we can make it.” He said eventually, speaking slowly as if he was thinking while he talked. 

Mike and Nanaba exchanged a look before they both glanced back down at Erwin, whose eyes were flickering between them both. It was as if they were all three silently discussing it, and after another moment, Mike and Nanaba nodded in agreement. She went back to tending to his arm, while Mike turned to walk off - presumably to pass off his orders. 

"Mike." Erwin called suddenly though, and the druid froze. "If we can't repair the cart before dawn, just put everything from it into the last one and we'll leave it. I want to depart before it gets fully light out."

"Got it, Erwin." Mike said, walking off. 

"Nanaba, get Gunther and heal everyone whose banged up as quickly as you can. Where is Hanji?"

"She's digging around in the rubble, it looks like."

Erwin made a small noise that almost sounded like amusement, looking in the direction of where the fight had been to see where Hanji was indeed shifting around rocks and fallen stones. 

"Good. Levi, can you please help her? See if the golem dropped anything like the lich did."

"Okay, Erwin." He said, swallowing and taking one last look at Erwin's face before walking to join Hanji. 

Levi thought he looked weary, despite his best efforts to maintain the normal calm facade he always wore, and wondered if he ever got tired of being the head of the group. As the leader, he certainly carried more responsibility than anyone else for decisions and their outcome, and because of that, it wasn’t uncommon for people in his position - at least, good people - to experience a certain level of guilt when something went wrong and people were injured. He wondered if Erwin faulted himself for what had happened, and decided it was likely that he at least felt bad about it, but the dark look that had crossed his face when Mike recited the damage suggested more than the average amount of self-blame. 

Compared to how much worse it could’ve been, Levi didn’t think that the amount of damage or injuries were that bad. They were lower on food and water now, true, but they weren’t out completely, and he refused to be worried until that happened. No one had died, either, and a broken leg wasn’t something to be that upset about when it could be mended quickly by a healer.

But these thoughts led him to remember what the lich had told Erwin before: "You will kill them all."

It had said that, over and over again. While Levi was sure it had just been trying to distract him or something, if Erwin was already burdened with some measure of guilt over shit like this, then it was easy for Levi to see how the lich’s attempt to get under his skin might have actually worked. Even though no one had been killed, maybe he was still troubled by what could have happened, or the injuries. The lich had even mentioned Levi himself, he remembered suddenly, which would explain the way Erwin had launched himself on top of him when the golem exploded, and the intense look on his face that had suggested a determination to protect.

Either way, he wasn’t sure that Erwin would be willing to talk about any of this, and now wasn’t the time to deal with it, anyway. He’d finally come up on Hanji who somehow managed to look even dirtier than everyone else, and was digging through the rubble with a concentrated expression on her face. 

"Have you come to help, Levi?" She asked him without even looking up, pushing over a large rock.

"Yeah, I guess." He wrinkled his nose, thinking about how much more disgusting he was going to get by digging around in this rubble. It was one of the last things he wanted to do at this point, but Erwin had asked him to, and he wasn’t going to disobey him. In the end though, they didn’t even find anything, and by the time they were finished it was dawn and they had to depart, leaving Levi without a chance to even wipe himself off. 

One and a half weeks later they arrived in Karanes, exhausted, hungry, and still dirty as fuck. Levi had been full of trepidation about the magical city, but he had never been so happy to see the distant tops of towers over the horizon as he was on the afternoon they arrived. He was so relieved that it took him some time to notice that Karanes didn’t have a wall surrounding it like every other major city he knew of in the region. Instead, it was encased in some clear, magical bubble, the sun’s glimmer reflecting off the top brightly as they rode closer and closer to the entrance.

Erwin told the guard their names once they got there, and after a brief check through scrolls that made Levi nervous after what had happened in Trost, they were allowed inside with only a moderately condescending glance at their bedraggled state.

The first thing they did after stabling their horses and carts was make their way to the closest inn, sitting down in the dining room to eat their first full meal in a week after paying for rooms. They’d eaten the last of their food that morning - a single strip of beef jerky and a slice of stale, moldy bread for everyone. Levi had been in worse situations, if he was being honest, but the thick pork and beans soup the inn served may have been one of the best things he’d ever tasted in his life. Their barmaid seemed to sense they were all in quite a wreck, too, and took pity on them by giving them all free ale. Levi drank quite a bit, and although he wasn’t drunk, he had enough to make him feel warm and content, a pleasant sensation after the hell they’d gone through in the wilderness.

After dinner, he trailed behind Erwin without a word, following behind him upstairs to his room. They’d slept next to each other every night since they’d fucked, and Levi had just quietly assumed he was staying with him here too. Now that he was no longer half-starving and had finally managed to relax a bit, his thoughts had wandered to how much he was looking forward to being alone with him, and Erwin seemed to feel the same way. As they climbed the stairs, he looked over his shoulder, giving Levi a small smile that assured him Erwin certainly didn’t mind his presence at all. 

When they entered the room, Erwin dropped his bags and Levi did the same, too tired to care about there being a mess in the middle of the floor right now. He looked around the room from behind Erwin, glancing over the bed, chest of drawers, and desk that decorated one side of it. On the other though, there was what appeared to be a large tub in the corner, partially concealed by a paneled screen for privacy.

Levi’s eyes locked onto it when he saw it, and then he moved out from behind Erwin, making a beeline over to inspect it. Pushing aside the screen, his eyes widened. He could barely believe what he saw; it wasn’t the tub itself - most inns had them, even though they were really just large buckets that you had to fill with water from outside - but the fact that it appeared to be plumbed in, something that he’d only seen before in the houses of the rich. Normal people didn’t have plumbing, and neither did cheap inns, but he was still so fucking dirty that at that moment, it was one of the most amazing things he’d ever seen in his life.

“Shall I run us a bath, Levi?” Erwin said, coming up behind him to appraise the tub.

“Yeah. I want to take a bath.” Levi answered immediately, eyes locked onto the faucet before he turned around to face Erwin. “And then I want your cock. In that order.”

Erwin quirked his lips up and then placed a hand around the back of Levi’s neck, bending to kiss his cheek.

“You’ll have it.” He said, whispering the words against his skin before moving to his lips. 

Levi leaned into it automatically, his spirits too high from finally being in the city - not to mention the food and the tub - too care that they were still both grimy and smelly. They’d barely touched since they’d fought the golem because he couldn’t stand how disgusting he felt, not to mention how hungry and tired they were and how much worse it got every day. The river they’d detoured to in order to refill their water supply had been nearly dried up, too low for him to use it to wash himself off. He’d taken a rag, dipped it in the water before squeezing the excess out to run it over his skin, wiping off the caked on dirt as best he could, but he’d had no soap and the river was nearly just as filthy. 

All he wanted to do now was scrub himself clean so Erwin could fuck him, because they hadn’t done that in nearly three weeks either. Erwin hadn’t had much oil to begin with - because it wasn’t like he had been doing this all the time, he said - and they’d run out quickly. That didn’t stop them from fooling around almost every night, of course, but by now he was more than ready to feel the satisfaction of having Erwin’s cock inside of him again.

While the bath was running - apparently not actually plumbed in, but magically conjured through the faucet when they turned it on - they undressed each other. It started with Erwin stepping in front of Levi to undo the laces on his leather tunic, prompting him, in turn, to reach for the straps connecting Erwin’s armor. 

It was the first time they’d done this not in the darkness of Erwin’s tent, the area only half-illuminated by Erwin’s glow or a lantern, and it was a lot easier to rid each other of their clothing when they could see. Levi found excitement growing in the pit of his belly as he undid Erwin’s belts one at a time, but the quickness of it wasn’t the only reason. It was bright in here, the entire room lit up by a large candle-filled chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and he was about to see Erwin naked in all of his tall, muscular glory. 

Of course, his armor was a lot more difficult to take off than Levi’s, and by the time he’d removed the front of his breastplate, unable to stop himself from shoving his hands up underneath Erwin’s shirt, Erwin already had Levi bare chested. While he ran his fingers over Erwin’s abdomen, he found himself suddenly pushed backwards into a nearby chair. Erwin bent between his legs, aiming to start unlacing his pants, but Levi pressed a boot to his shoulder to stop him.

“This isn’t fair.” He said, eyeing all of the armor that Erwin still wore. “You wear too much shit. At this rate, I’ll be naked before you even have your fucking shirt off.”

“I don’t see the problem with that.” Erwin replied wryly, raising a hand to grip Levi’s ankle through his boot as if to knock it away. Instead, Levi pushed at his shoulder with his foot, scowling in response.

“Take it off.” He ordered, sitting back to watch with his legs spread as Erwin stood up, relenting with a smile.

“As you wish.”

Levi stared as he started removing the rest of his armor piece by piece, unbuckling the belts and letting his cape fall to the floor. He palmed his hardening cock, unable to help it, growing more excited the more Erwin took off. Finally, he was pulling his tunic over his head and stepping out of his pants, fully naked and erect before Levi. The strong candlelight combined with his aura gave his skin a warm glow, but Levi barely noticed after the first hint of his bare chest was revealed.

He licked his lips, letting his eyes rove over his wide shoulders and chest, the firm muscles of it leading down into a trim waist and tight abdomen. Below that was his hard cock, straining upward from between thick thighs on top of long, defined legs. He was tall, large. Everything about him was big, or at least it was to Levi, who felt dwarfed in his chair when Erwin walked forward to stand in front of him. 

His muscles rippled underneath his skin when he moved, and the thought of all of that mass on top of him, all of that heavy weight, made Levi flush hot on the inside with strong arousal. He bit his lip, aware of how red his face must be, and reached out to touch Erwin’s stomach when he stood in front of him. As soon as he did, however, Erwin leaned over him, placing both hands on the arms of the chair and kissing near his ear.

“Are you ready for the bath?” He whispered, and Levi blinked, fighting back a curse. He’d nearly forgotten, he realized, with a glance over to the tub that was almost completely full by now.

Even so, the sight of the clear, steaming water was almost just as good as that of the naked, muscular man in front of him. Because even though he itched to touch, to press his mouth all over Erwin’s bare skin, he was still fucking dirty, and he still stank like a nest of goblins. 

Erwin moved to kiss his lips but Levi shoved him away, bending over to remove his boots before he stood up to pull his pants off. Erwin didn’t watch, but turned to climb into the bath after turning it off, giving Levi a fantastic view of his tight, round ass as he did so. He paused for a moment to stare, and then moved again when Erwin started to sink down into the water, letting out a contented sigh.

Fuck, he couldn’t wait to get clean, so much so that he practically ripped the lacings on his pants open in his attempt to undo them. When he finally got them off, though, and he was naked too, he stepped into the tub across from Erwin, sliding down into the warm water until it was all the way up to his neck.

They fit together very snugly, with Erwin’s legs bent at the knees and sticking out of the water enough for Levi to find the sight amusing. He didn’t have that problem - there was plenty of room for his legs, which he stretched out in between Erwin’s spread ones, easing his feet in his lap and getting comfortable before he started washing himself. 

Erwin wrapped his fingers around one of his feet and started tracing them up the back of his calf, looking like he was in no hurry, but Levi wasn’t going to waste any time. Yeah, the water felt good and it was nice to sit still, finally, but he would relax after he was clean, after he’d scrubbed every last speck of dirt and filth from his skin. 

There were soaps, he discovered, on a ledge next to the tub, actual scented soap and more than one to choose from. Levi sniffed them all and then picked one before getting to work, rubbing at his skin and lathering up his hair, cleaning himself until he felt he was free of all dirt and was practically glowing pink under the water. 

When he was halfway done, though, he looked across the tub at Erwin, who was still lying back, watching Levi with his lips half quirked up into a smile.

“What the hell are you doing?” Levi asked, soaping up his underarms for a second time. “Aren’t you going to wash off? I’m not fucking touching you until you do.”

“I just like watching you.” Erwin said, his admission making Levi frown and blush. He watched Erwin pick his own bar of soap, though, apparently deciding that he’d better get to work, but by the time he was halfway done Levi was already finished. He wasn’t going to just sit there and watch, either, like Erwin had done, so he slid forward suddenly to seat himself in Erwin’s lap.

“Hello there.” Erwin said playfully, causing Levi to roll his eyes. 

He said nothing in response, and didn’t waste one moment before he started soaping up Erwin’s hair, his fingers working the lather it created into his scalp and the blonde locks firmly. He was concentrating, but he didn’t miss how Erwin reacted either, his own movements slowing from where he was washing himself and a contented look crossing his face. He hummed in satisfaction and closed his eyes for a moment, sighing when Levi continued to massage his head.

“That feels good.” He muttered, a leisurely smile on his face. 

Levi raised an eyebrow, finding the way Erwin was responding to this to be stupidly cute, and rubbed his scalp harder. 

“You gonna fall asleep?” He said after a moment, when Erwin suddenly put down his soap and leaned back farther against the tub.

“Not yet.” Erwin answered, opening his eyes and wrapping his arms around Levi without warning. “I promised you my cock, didn’t I?” 

Said cock twitched between their bodies at Erwin’s words, and Levi swallowed, the strong desire he’d felt earlier rolling through his belly again when he realized how close they were, when he became aware of how much of Erwin’s wet, smooth skin was touching his own underneath the water. While he paused, Erwin slipped a hand down Levi’s back to grab at his ass, tugging him forward against his chest and reaching for a kiss. 

“Wait.” Levi said, turning his face so Erwin’s lips landed on his cheek. “I’m not-”

He was referring to Erwin’s hair, which was still covered in lathered soap because he hadn’t rinsed it yet, but was interrupted when Erwin slid down underneath him to duck his head under the water, pausing a moment to let it clear his hair of any bubbles before he reappeared again. Water ran down his face and blonde strands were plastered to his forehead, but he was clean, and he smiled at Levi widely enough for sparkles to fill his aura and float up around his face.

“Better?” He asked quietly, tugging Levi down again.

“Idiot.” Levi mumbled in response, but didn’t resist this time when Erwin kissed him. 

It was slow at first, gentle and soft while they ran their hands over each other, enjoying the way the water and soap slicked up their skin. It didn’t take long for it to turn heated though, for Erwin to lean his head back against the edge of the tub and to open his mouth, grabbing at Levi’s thighs to tug his hips closer. Levi licked the water from his lips eagerly before tasting him, wrapping his arms around his neck and pressing himself to his chest. The movements of their mouths grew hungrier quickly, because even though they’d gotten distracted by bathing, they’d both still been hard and aching for this for more than half an hour - and in Levi’s case, at least, from before he’d even walked into the damn room. 

Now, he’d since seen Erwin’s naked body standing right in front of him, towering over him while he’d been sitting in a chair. That same body was underneath him now, slippery and sliding against his skin smoothly while they moved against each other, and where Levi’s hands now wandered to his shoulders and down his chest. Remembering what he’d looked like after removing his armor, Levi pulled away to kiss at Erwin’s neck, groping at the firm muscles he’d been appreciating so much earlier.

He found that he was panting already, excited enough from the anticipation to grind himself against Erwin in his lap while he touched him. He squeezed where he was grabbing, licking water away from Erwin’s skin as his thumbs found nipples, rubbing at them firmly until he heard Erwin’s breath hitch above him. The sound went straight to his cock, and he kissed lower to bite at Erwin’s collarbone, sucking a mark onto it and grazing it with his teeth. 

He felt Erwin’s large hands on his ass, cupping his cheeks and running a teasing finger between them gently, but it barely made him pause because when he nipped at Erwin’s neck in response, he made a breathy noise, one that came out again and grew louder when he pinched one of his nipples between his thumb and forefinger. He found he liked the sounds Erwin was making because he wasn’t used to it - usually they had to be quiet and although Levi struggled with it, Erwin barely ever made a single noise. He wasn’t being silent now, though, a quiet moan leaving his lips when Levi lowered his head to latch his mouth around his other nipple.

He sucked on it, fit his teeth around it and tugged, ran his tongue over it while listening to Erwin’s pleased gasps and the hitches of his breath above him. Levi couldn’t stop the low sound of his own that he made, rolling his hips in Erwin’s lap against his stomach. He felt his cock between them and sat up suddenly, remembering he could see him in the light, and wrapped a hand around it while watching his expression. 

He started stroking him under the water as best he could, his thumb running over the head, eyes taking in Erwin’s face. His cheeks were red now and his eyes were lidded, his wet lips parted while Levi played with his cock. He let out a deep groan when Levi twisted his hand and then tugged at his foreskin, his hips canting up sharply into his fist.

“I assumed you wanted me to fuck you when you said you wanted my cock, Levi.” Erwin breathed a few moments later, once Levi started stroking him faster. “Is this what you actually meant?”

“...No” Levi muttered. 

He paused his hand but didn’t let go, rubbing his thumb over the head of his cock instead, squeezing just enough so that Erwin’s lips parted wider. He gasped, his hips twitching again, and although Levi had been about to say something else, he was distracted by the response he was getting and had already forgotten. As much as he enjoyed having Erwin on top of him, holding him down and doing what he wanted with him, Levi found himself thinking that he certainly didn’t mind having Erwin beneath him and pliant like this either.

Still, it was definitely not what he'd meant, not at all, but he couldn’t seem to stop what he was doing. He found himself wondering how Erwin would look if he stopped fooling around and stroked him faster, how his face might twist in pleasure when he was about to come. Before he could do anything about it, though, Erwin moved suddenly, grabbing Levi and jerking his hand away, pulling him forward until he was pressed against his chest again. 

“I didn’t think so.” He said, tangling his fingers in Levi’s wet hair and pushing his head down so he could murmur into his ear. “But why don’t you tell me exactly what it is that you want, just so we’re clear?” 

Erwin was teasing him, kissing at his skin now and running a hand over his ass again, sliding two fingers between his cheeks and finally dipping them lower to rub at his entrance. Levi made a small sound in his throat, gripping at Erwin’s shoulders tightly and licking his lips. He wanted Erwin to fuck him - he thought that was pretty obvious - but how? Is that what he was asking? An idea came to him a second later when he shifted and felt Erwin’s cock pressed against his stomach again, and became aware of how he was sitting on top of him and how firm Erwin felt between his legs.

"Bastard.” Levi replied then, hoping that Erwin didn’t think his dirty talk was getting the better of him just yet. “I want to ride your huge fat cock this time. How does that sound?” 

He glanced up to see Erwin’s reaction, to watch the playfully smug expression he wore melt into something else. It was a hooded look, one that suggested he was more than fine with what Levi had just proposed, a fact that Levi was sure of when Erwin moved his hands to grip at his waist.

"If that’s what you want." He replied, his voice husky with arousal. “But we have to get out of the bath first.”

Even as he spoke though, he tightened his hands on where he held him, looking down into the water at where Levi was straddling him. The firm touch and the feel of his large hands there made Levi bite his lip and just want it more, and he couldn’t help but roll his hips in a suggestive imitation of what he’d just proposed. He did it again and dug his fingers into Erwin’s shoulders, leaning forward to kiss him, swallowing the groan that came from his throat when Levi grinded himself against his cock. 

"Get out of the bath, Levi." Erwin said again after another moment, pulling away and speaking more firmly this time. “Or I’m going to bend you over the tub and take you right here.” 

Levi swore, pausing for a moment because that didn’t sound so bad either. But in the end, he wanted to know how it would feel to ride him like he’d said, and he forced himself off of Erwin’s lap and out of the tub. He didn’t even care that he was dripping water all over the floor until he’d found something to dry off with - a large cloth that he used to quickly wipe the excess water from his skin with before setting it aside. 

Erwin had done the same, and as soon as he was finished Levi was in his arms again, reaching for his chest and standing on his tiptoes to kiss him. Erwin picked him up easily and before Levi could even wrap his legs around him, they were on the bed, falling onto it with their limbs tangled and mouths pressed together. Erwin was on top of him, nudging and maneuvering Levi until he was sprawled out across the pillows, grabbing at Erwin and kissing him hungrily until he found himself rolled over. Now Erwin was beneath him, sitting up against the headboard, and Levi was in his lap again, straddling him like he had been in the tub. 

Normally, Levi was the impatient one, but the anticipation and all the fooling around they’d done in the bath seemed to have gotten to Erwin too. Everything was rushed suddenly, hurried, and while Levi grabbed at him to lick at his neck, Erwin leaned over to rustle around loudly in the bedside table. He came away from it with oil, apparently, because a few seconds later he’d turned his head to meet Levi’s mouth in a wet kiss, molding his mouth to his as he reached around and slipped two slick fingers inside his ass.

By now, he’d learned that Levi could take more than just one at first, and this time was no different. Levi moaned into his mouth, the pleased sound one of satisfaction and relief, and he sank down onto his fingers eagerly without even minding the stretch. He didn’t even wait for Erwin to start moving them himself, but instead reached around to spread his cheeks with both hands, raising and lowering his hips on his own and enjoying the feel of the digits sliding in and out of his ass as he started to fuck himself. 

“Erwin-” Levi gasped while he stretched him, scissoring his fingers so he could add a third minutes later. 

It went in easy with little resistance, especially with Erwin’s face now pressed against Levi’s chest, teasing and biting at his nipples with his mouth and teeth. Levi’s lips fell open when he managed to work all three in up to the last knuckle - a silent expression of pleasure - and his own fingers found Erwin’s hair, winding them between the strands and tugging while Erwin stroked him open.

He bucked his hips, swearing when Erwin suddenly twisted and curled his fingers, the tips of them pressing into his prostate, and whined. It felt good - Erwin’s fingers were thick and he knew just how to work him, but they were nothing compared to the fullness of his cock, to the deep reach it had inside him, and it wasn’t enough. 

“Get the oil.” Erwin said then, sensing correctly that Levi was becoming impatient. 

He pulled his fingers out suddenly after he spoke, prompting another frustrated noise to leave Levi’s throat while he twisted at the same time to find where Erwin had put the vial. He practically shoved it back into Erwin’s hand when he found it, biting his lip as he sat back to watch Erwin slick up his cock. He couldn’t help but to wrap a hand around it too, stroking him again and leaning forward to kiss him, moving to position himself above it when Erwin let go.

“Levi.” Erwin murmured against his mouth, though, stopping him by planting his hands on his hips. “Like this.”

As he spoke, he maneuvered himself down onto the bed until he was lying on his back, guiding Levi to scoot backwards with him so he was straddling his hips.

“I can see you better like this.” Erwin explained, his gaze sweeping over him. 

It made Levi’s ears feel warm, but at this point, he was too wound up to really be embarrassed. Instead, Erwin’s words just made him feel hot, and he found himself licking his lips and meeting his eyes. 

“Yeah?” He said, raising up to grasp Erwin’s cock, directing it between his legs. “If you wanted to watch me ride you, you should’ve said something sooner.” 

“I didn’t know you were so eager to do so.” Erwin answered, placing his hands on Levi’s thighs.

He rubbed them gently, almost, when Levi failed to respond. It was because he’d lowered himself, enough for the head of Erwin’s cock to push inside his entrance, and whatever he’d been about to say was immediately forgotten. 

“Shit.” He gasped, pushing himself down a bit more.

No matter how much preparation he’d had, he found, the stretch was always much more intense than Erwin’s fingers. It wasn’t any different now, but Levi didn’t mind. He savored the burn because he liked the way Erwin’s cock filled him, the way he split his ass wide. Still, though, he sank down slow, fucking himself shallowly until he’d adjusted enough to take more, his legs trembling with the effort of control it took. 

Stroking his own cock made it easier, and once he was seated fully, he paused, biting his lip at the warmth in his belly. Erwin always sat heavy inside him no matter the position, but in this one, he could feel just how deep he was, the entire length of him lodged tightly inside his ass. It was almost overwhelming, and he was so sweaty and flushed already that when he moved, rolling his hips once gently, a hot flash of pleasure swept over his skin and made him shudder. 

He moaned, too, a soft sound from the way Erwin’s cock shifted inside him, the movement enough to make his head fall back against the bed. Suddenly, Levi was aware of how tightly his fingers were digging into his thighs, how heavily he was breathing while Levi straddled him. He looked like he was doing everything he could to keep himself from moving, but by now, the discomfort had faded and Levi did it for him. He rolled his hips more eagerly this time, a ragged gasp leaving his lips while beneath him, Erwin groaned in answer. 

“Good?” He asked Levi, sliding his hands up to grasp his hips.

“Yeah.” Levi managed to say somehow, swallowing before he let his mouth hang open. “You feel huge like this.”

“Is it too much?”

“Fuck no.”

After that Levi moved again to demonstrate, groaning as he did so, planting his hands on Erwin’s chest for leverage so he could ride him harder. He rolled his hips again and again at first, fucking himself that way, but then shifted into lifting himself up and down along his cock at a steady, rough pace. Erwin was watching him, like he said he’d wanted to, meeting Levi’s flushed gaze and urging him on by helping him to move his hips back and forth.

A moment later, and he started thrusting too, though, lifting his pelvis to meet Levi every time he pushed down. His movements were slow and gentle in comparison to Levi’s, but every time he lowered himself Erwin seemed to sink even deeper. The extra friction felt so good that he was rapidly growing closer to losing himself already, the rich pleasure building tight and hot in his belly without him even having to touch himself. 

It had him biting his lip and moaning louder through it, letting his head fall back and closing his eyes as he arched, planting his hands on Erwin’s thighs behind him for support so he could jerk his hips back and forth that way. He grinded down every time Erwin thrusted up and met him, moving more desperately and growing increasingly louder. He was so distracted, so focused on reaching for his release that he almost didn’t realize it when he suddenly felt Erwin’s hand move his cock aside to brush over his stomach. Only then did he notice he’d stopped moving underneath him, and Levi’s eyes flew open to find Erwin staring intently at his midsection. He dipped his head further, panting as he froze, squinting in confusion until he saw what Erwin was looking at.

“Uh.” He breathed quietly, his eyes widening in alarm. “What the fuck?”

There was a glow coming from his lower belly - or rather, from inside of it. It was just barely enough to be noticeable, but the faint illumination of his skin from the inside out was obvious. It was like there was a candle up his ass, he thought, with the way he was lit up with a barely there light, reddish orange in color because of the blood and muscle it was shining through. 

At that, he finally realized what it must be, and looked back up at Erwin sharply. He hadn’t noticed until then because he’d been too busy fucking himself, but he was glowing a lot brighter than he usually was. In fact, his aura was so golden and vivid that it looked like he had just casted a spell, and as his gaze traveled over him to where Erwin still had a hand pressed against his stomach, he saw that his fingertips had grown so vibrant in the few moments since Levi had stopped that he almost couldn’t even see his skin. As he stared, Erwin lifted his eyes to meet his for a brief second, and then slid them back down to stare at his stomach.

“Is that your fucking dick?” Levi blurted in disbelief, twisting around. 

He looked down at where Erwin’s cock disappeared into his ass apprehensively, not entirely sure what the fuck he was even going to see, and blinked. Everything in sight appeared normal - his ass cheeks weren’t lit up and there was no weird magical substance leaking from him, or anything like that - but Erwin’s balls were glowing just as brightly as the rest of him, so Levi had to imagine that the entire length of him was too. Moving his hand to where they were joined, Levi rubbed his fingers over the very bottom of his shaft and then down further to cup his sac. It all felt warmer than was normal, and turning back around, he spoke in a tone that was starting to sound concerned because Erwin had still yet to say anything. 

“Erwin?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. It is.” He finally said then, mumbling a bit. He looked up from Levi’s stomach to meet his face again, his lips quirking up into what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile. All Levi noticed though was Erwin’s cheeks, glowing with the same reddish orange color that his belly was. It was probably the way his flushed skin was mixing with his aura, but it was a lot brighter than usual. Was he embarrassed? “I got excited.” 

Levi’s brows drew down in confusion, because it wasn’t like this was the first time they’d had sex. They’d done this other times, and as far as he was aware, this had certainly never happened. “What? You weren’t excited the other times we did this shit?”

“Of course I was, Levi. But you just look so very good like this.” Erwin replied, brushing his fingers over his stomach again. “I really enjoy watching you.” 

He spoke in a low voice, licking his lips before he let his mouth hang open as his eyes wandered down over Levi’s hips. He rubbed at his thighs and then reached around to cup his ass, spreading his cheeks and squeezing once in a rough grip.

His words made Levi bite his lip again and flush hotly, his awareness of how deep Erwin was lodged inside him immediately returning. They’d temporarily been distracted, but now the mood had returned to how it had been before - heated and fervid, and growing more so by the moment.

Levi let out a whimper and started to move again, urged on by the firm grip Erwin had on his ass. The motions of his hips were slow at first like when he’d started, but it didn’t take them long to fall back into the fast, hard rhythm they’d held before they’d stopped. He’d been getting close before, and now, he could feel the pleasure building up again quickly, in the heavy warmth in his belly and in the tightness of his thighs - especially once he found the right angle.

“I’m gonna come.” He gasped, practically bouncing up and down on top of Erwin now, his cock slapping against his stomach and his moans sounding more like cries every time Erwin thrusted up to meet him. “Fuck, I’m gonna come, Erwin-”

His head was tilted back but his eyes still fluttered opened and closed, focusing on Erwin from underneath his lashes. Erwin wasn’t looking at his face but was instead staring intently at his midsection, watching him still, his hands wrapped around his waist tightly and his fingers digging into his skin. He groaned when Levi kept babbling his name, growing more high pitched by the second, and let his head fall back onto the bed.

His hips jerked up sharply, pressing directly against Levi’s prostate, and that was all it took for his release to finally come with a shudder. His voice hitched and then he let out a breathy cry, wrapping a hand around his cock to stroke himself through it. The come spurted all over Erwin’s stomach, making a wet mess and dribbling down Levi’s length and over his hand. 

It made his fingers sticky and slick, but it was easier to jerk himself off like this. He didn’t stop, even after the shaking and the pleasure from his orgasm had both faded into a muted hum, because Erwin was still thrusting up into him, his brows drawn and his mouth hanging open with an expression of determination on his face. He wasn’t finished yet, and Levi wanted him to come too, but as he kept riding him and clenching around his cock, the sensitivity he felt from his own release was making him whine and whimper and tense up again. 

Because of that and the way Erwin pounded against his prostate with every upward press of his hips, he felt something building again, the tension and warmth already growing tight in his belly. He stroked himself faster, cursing and practically writhing as they moved together until his thighs spasmed and he came again, a sobbing sound leaving his throat and more white, sticky liquid spilling from his cock. 

The sight of him coming a second time was apparently enough to send Erwin over the edge, because he groaned in a deep tone a moment later and stilled, holding Levi in place after he thrusted up one last time into his ass. The muscles of his stomach and chest were visibly tight for a few moments, but a second later he relaxed, slumping against the bed and letting his eyes flutter open to look at Levi. He’d squeezed them shut when he came, and when they focused on him Levi swallowed. He’d lifted himself off his softening cock but was still sitting astride his waist, trying to catch his breath and taking in the mess all over Erwin’s stomach and on his hand. 

He could feel the warm come leaking out of his ass from Erwin’s release, too. It should be disgusting, but for some reason, Levi found himself leaning back to look, placing a hand over his limp cock to move it out of the way. He spread his legs and watched more of it trickle out of his stretched hole from where Erwin had spilled deep inside him, biting his lip when Erwin palmed the juncture of his thighs and pulled him open with his thumbs to look. 

“What a mess.” Levi breathed, working the muscles in his ass at the same time to push more of it out. 

“You’re making it worse.” Erwin mumbled, his gaze locked between his legs and sounding like a mess was the last thing he was worried about. He licked his lips, running the pad of his thumb against his rim to catch a drop before popping it into his mouth.

Levi shuddered in response to his touch, more sensitive now than he had been before, and squirmed away when Erwin started loudly sucking on his finger. “Pervert.”

He was teasing because he knew Erwin was being filthy on purpose, but after that he slumped over and off of him, lying on his side with one of his legs still slung over him. He stretched and then managed to reach over the edge of the bed, grabbing the cloth that he’d used to dry himself off with after their bath. Luckily, it was within reach, and he twisted around and used it to wipe Erwin’s stomach off. He stuck it between his legs next, cleaning as much of the remaining come out of him as he could, and tossed it back onto the floor.

Erwin’s aura had gone back to its normal state, Levi noticed, and only a dull glow now remained around him. He yawned while Levi wiped him off, blinking tiredly, and Levi had to admit he felt the same. He was exhausted after their months long ordeal, and not to mention the fucking sex they'd just had. It had been a while since he'd come more than once not on his own, and he was already feeling the effects of his orgasms in how sleepy he felt. 

When he was done cleaning them both off, Erwin held his arms out, and ready for bed, Levi shifted to curl up against him without even a second thought. His ease at lying wrapped up in his arms was a far cry from how unsure he’d been the first night, but by now, he’d grown used to it. He’d grown to like it, even, because Erwin was always warm and although it might be stupid, he found his presence near him comforting. It wasn’t any different now, and he relaxed immediately as they pulled a blanket over them, tilting his head up for a kiss when he felt Erwin’s lips brushing against his forehead. 

It was tender and soft, so gentle that even though he’d relaxed into this, it still made Levi’s ears turn red, especially once he laid his head back down and Erwin ran his fingers through his hair. He didn’t move, though, and a few seconds after they’d settled together and murmured their goodnights, Levi’s eyes began to droop. He closed them, listening to Erwin's breath coming from his chest and how it slowly became more even. He had fallen asleep, Levi knew, and it was only a few more moments before he finally nodded off too, sated, happy, and content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧ 8===D *:・ﾟ✧


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The Mage Council is meeting today." Erwin said. "And I want you to spy on them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say, the amount of people who thought Levi had gotten pregnant last chapter made me laugh, especially since that had never crossed my mind. It honestly made me contemplate giving them a kid and turning this story into a family sitcom. Really though, to everyone who is continuing to read this story after glowing dicks: thank you.

Levi opened his eyes sleepily the next morning, squinting at the light pouring in from the window. Erwin was spooning him, one arm beneath his head and the other wrapped around him tightly, a warm presence pressed against his back and underneath the blankets. He was surprised he was still there because normally, Erwin was up and about and getting dressed long before he was. In the past month Levi had relied on him to get him up, but it wasn’t like he was complaining about waking up like this, either.

It was nice, he had to admit, having Erwin there next to him, and Levi realized when he yawned that Erwin wasn’t asleep. His movements must have let Erwin know that he was awake, because he suddenly felt his face against the back of his neck, nuzzling the skin there before his lips brushed across it.

“Good morning.” He murmured, while Levi fought back a shiver.

His only response was a low groan, because even though he’d woken up naturally, he still wasn’t a morning person and he’d still much rather lie there for a little longer before getting up. Luckily, Erwin seemed to have the same idea for once, because instead of urging him to get out of bed he just pressed up against his back even more, tightening the arm he had wrapped around Levi’s waist to tug him closer.

“Did you sleep well?” He asked, kissing at his shoulder next.

“Not bad.” Levi mumbled, letting his eyes flutter closed again as if to go back to sleep, content and comfortable where he was lying. It was remarkable how quickly he’d gotten used to this, he thought, when not so long ago he would’ve balked at the idea of waking up completely naked with someone spooning him. “I’m surprised you’re still here. Are you getting lazy?”

Erwin chuckled, sliding his hand over Levi’s stomach to rest on his hip. “No. We just have some extra time. And its nice to sleep in a bed again, don’t you think?”

That was definitely true. Levi had told Erwin ‘not bad’ in response to his question about how he’d slept, but he actually felt more rested than he had since they’d been in Trost. They tried to make the bed in their tent as comfortable as they could, of course, and even though it was possible to get used to it somewhat, it was nothing compared to sleeping indoors and on a real mattress.

“Is that the only reason?” Levi said dryly, cracking his eyes open again sleepily, because when Erwin had sidled closer, he’d felt something large, hard, and unmistakable pressing against his backside.

He’d ignored it at first because at least one of them woke up with a boner every morning, not that they could help it, and it didn’t necessarily mean he wanted anything. But the way he was kissing and touching him said otherwise this time, and, well,  it was affecting him below the waist too.

“Maybe not.”

Levi tilted his head back at Erwin’s answer to look up at him, frowning when he smiled and planted a kiss on his forehead.

“Does that mean you plan to do something about this damn hard-on you’re giving me?” He said, lips parting in a quiet gasp when Erwin immediately reached down between his legs to cup his cock. “If not, I want to go back to sleep.”

“I had planned to. But only if you’d like.”

With the way he was touching Levi now, his palm a firm press against his hardening erection while his thumb swept over the head, it was hard to say no. Not that he wanted to, either, because it seemed like ever since Erwin had sucked his dick in Trost they couldn’t get enough of each other when they were alone and rested. It was only natural, Levi supposed, since this was all new and exciting, but those thoughts led him to wonder what ‘this’ was and that wasn’t something he wanted to worry about when Erwin had started nibbling at his ear and stroking him.

Levi’s response had just been a low, breathy sound, his head falling back to the side so that Erwin had access to his ear and neck. His teeth scraped across the pointed end lightly before he started sucking on the lobe, and Levi was so sensitive there that he couldn’t help but buck his hips up into Erwin’s hand already.

“Is that a yes?” Erwin said, his voice a low murmur.

He kissed a slow, wet trail down Levi’s neck, the hand on his cock working him steadily until he abruptly let go.

“Yeah.” Levi breathed, biting his lip and squirming a little, impatient and worked up now from Erwin’s teasing. “Just get on with it.”

He felt Erwin smile against the skin of his neck in response, moving to lift Levi’s arm up so he could wrap it around the back of his head. When Levi felt the soft strands of his hair against his fingers he tightened them automatically, grasping a handful which, he immediately found out, is what Erwin had intended.

“Hold on.” He told him, lifting his head to wet three fingers with his mouth.

Afterward, he reached down between Levi’s legs and pushed two into his ass, the both of them sliding in easily because he was still open from the night before, his insides likely still slick with come. He was so relaxed and loose from sleep too that Erwin added a third with no resistance, fingering him gently for a few minutes and spreading his fingers to make sure that Levi was ready.

There was no teasing this time. A moment later and Erwin was pulling away to find where they'd put the oil, leaving Levi panting and gasping softly while he slicked up his cock. He pushed up Levi's leg when he was done, spreading his ass so he could guide himself inside. It only took a few smooth strokes before his full length was buried inside Levi again, a low moan escaping his lips when he felt the incredible fullness and girth he enjoyed so much.

He tightened his fingers in Erwin's hair and arched when he started thrusting gently, bending to kiss and mouth at Levi's neck. Just like that, they were fucking again, quiet groans and gasps coming from both of them as they moved together. Compared to the night before, it was slow, gentle, and Levi found his eyes fluttering shut again, rocking back against Erwin as best he could while he had one big hand planted over his hip.

The calm pace didn't mean it felt any less good, though, and it didn't keep Levi from moaning either. His cries, growing louder, were muffled by his pillow, but Erwin's grunts and groans weren't, and he felt each one ghosting across the back of his neck every time he made a sound. He was practically wrapped around him like this, with his other arm still tucked under Levi's neck and his broad chest pressed against his back as Levi leaned into him. Even his knees were tucked behind Levi's now, and the pleasure and warmth and the overwhelming touch of all of Erwin's bare skin against his own was making him dizzy.

"Are you close?" Erwin gasped into his ear a second later, asking exactly what he was thinking.

He _was_ close, nearly there from just the slide of Erwin's cock, and he managed to nod and tug at Erwin's hair sharply when he sucked at his neck. At that, Erwin reached down to grasp his length again, stroking him in time with the movements of his hips, breathing harder and thrusting deeper as he grew closer to release too. Levi let out a loud moan when he brushed against the right spot and began to rock back against him faster, more desperately as his belly and thighs grew tense.

Soon, a twist of Erwin’s wrist and a particularly sharp thrust pushed Levi over the edge into release, and he froze, shuddering and gasping in his arms. Erwin held him tight but didn’t stop, the clenching of Levi’s ass around his cock driving him to fuck into him harder. He came too a minute later, finishing with a moan and a few more lazy rolls of his hips before he buried himself deep inside Levi and stilled.

He relaxed beside him and pulled out a few minutes later, but kept their spooning position intact while they both panted and caught their breath. Levi became aware of Erwin’s arm stretched out underneath his head and pillow, his hand peeking out from underneath the cloth. In a moment of impulse, he reached up to grab it, his heart fluttering a bit and his cheeks flushing in a way that had nothing to do with what they’d just done when Erwin wound their fingers together and squeezed. He made a contented humming sound in his throat behind him and kissed his back, and that was the last thing he remembered before he drifted off again.

About an hour later he woke back up in the same position, groaning at the wet, sticky feeling between his legs. There was dried sweat on his skin from both last night and earlier too, and he thought with a false sense of bitterness that he might as well not have taken a bath the night before. However, that thought reminded him that the tub was still there in the first place, and he supposed there wasn’t any reason why he couldn’t take another one.

His sliding out of bed woke Erwin back up too, and he yawned and stretched and looked over to watch Levi draw a bath.

“Are you taking another bath? Already?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with that? Do you have any idea how shitty it is to wake up with come dripping out of your asshole?”

Erwin smiled, the sparkles above his head glinting sharply in the sunlight pouring in from the window. “Nothing. And yes, I do.”

Levi opened his mouth to say something else but stopped, blinking at Erwin’s words and digesting the implications of what he’d said. That was an interesting prospect, he thought, a thousand images running through his mind at once. Erwin must have noticed his distraction and his raised eyebrows, and laughed lightly, climbing out of bed to approach Levi and give him a kiss.

“Can I get in too?”

“You need to.” Levi said, teasing him by wrinkling his nose. “You smell like shit again.”

Erwin’s response was to wrap his arms around him tightly, pressing Levi’s face against his chest on purse while Levi squirmed. “Do I?”

He did smell like sweat, but it didn’t actually bother Levi that much. It was nothing compared to what they’d both stunk like before, after spending weeks out in the wilderness covered in grime, anyway. He found he almost liked the smell of Erwin, but still, they both climbed into the bath again together once it was full.

They spent a lot less time in there than they had the night before, using the soap to scrub themselves off quickly and shaving each other because they didn’t have a mirror. Afterwards, they got dressed, wearing only simple clothing for once instead of full armor, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

As they entered the dining room, Levi saw that many of the others were eating at the same long table they’d all sat at the night before, and he followed closely behind Erwin, sitting down next to him on the bench. Levi helped himself to the plates of bacon, hard boiled eggs, cheese, and fruit that were in the center of the table, only stopping when he noticed Hanji very obviously staring at him from across the table.

“What’s with the look, four eyes? Did you eat too many eggs? Need to go take a shit?” Levi asked her, taking a bite of bacon and noting her seemingly strained face and the way she was biting her lip.

It turned out that she was just trying not to laugh because she giggled when he spoke, elbowing Mike who was sitting next to her. Levi’s eyes jumped to him, and he sniffed, looking between him and Erwin suspiciously, _obviously_ , like he knew something was up, and when Hanji snickered again he sighed, digging around in his pockets for a handful of coins and dropping them into her outstretched hand.

“Just an innocent bet between friends, nothing for you to worry about here!" Hanji said, shoving the coins down her robes.

Levi made an irritated noise. "Are you always this nosy, or is all that magic addling your brain?"

"I'm not, Mike's the nosy one, as you've probably noticed." She reached over, pinching his nose between two of her fingers before he swatted her hand away. "We were just concerned about Erwin's 'hammer of justice,' you see, but I think it's in good hands."

_"Hammer of justice?"_ Levi said blankly, unimpressed with her joke. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

“Oi, Erwin!” Hanji said, ignoring Levi and looking positively gleeful as she snapped at Erwin to get his attention. Erwin had been talking to someone else, completely oblivious to the conversation, but when Hanji called his name he looked over at her curiously. “Did you know that compared to humans, elven men have a sexual refractory period so minimal that its barely noticeable? They can have multiple orgasms easily and get hard again within minutes! Isn’t that amazing?”

From beside her, Mike sputtered, and Levi nearly choked on the water he’d been taking a sip of himself. His eyes flew wide open and he set the glass down loudly, glaring at her in both surprise and anger. He wanted to kick her under the table as hard as he fucking could, but doing so felt like an admission, even though she was doing this on purpose because she suspected something was going on between them.

“No, I did not.” Erwin said from beside him.

Naturally, he appeared completely unfazed by her comment, except for the tiniest parting of his lips before he spoke that Levi was sure only he noticed. Just that subtle reaction was enough to make Levi’s ears start to burn, the embarrassed flush threatening to spread down onto his face and across his cheeks if Hanji didn’t shut the fuck up.

“In general, elven penises tend to be more sensitive than those of other races, too. They have more nerve endings there, and in other places as well! Because of this, though, their penis glans tend to be slightly bigger and more rounded than those of humans. They often have a more flared ridge at the base of it, too, although it hasn’t yet been determined what -”

“Hey!” Levi finally snapped, slapping his hand down hard on the table to interrupt her. He was quite sure his entire face was completely red by now, both from her words and the overwhelming presence of Erwin next to him, his eyes locked on Hanji’s face and his brows drawn slightly while he listened to her. “You need to shut the hell up. You’re seriously deluded in the brain if you think anyone here is interested in your perverted anatomy lesson.”

“Ah, I’m afraid Levi’s right.” Erwin said, clearing his throat loudly. Across from him, Mike was nodding his head rapidly in agreement, obviously not interested in the discussion of any penis that might belong to Levi. “We need to discuss our plans for our stay here.”

“Oh, yes! Of course! I can’t wait to go to the library…” Hanji said, clasping her hands together and forgetting all about what she was saying before.

"I think we'll be here for a few days, at the least.” Erwin said, addressing the group as a whole now. “I'm going to inquire about my contact after breakfast, but even if I'm able to speak with him today and he agrees to help, I doubt that we'll be able to gain access to the libraries immediately. Come and go as you please, and enjoy the break from traveling. I only ask that we meet for breakfast every morning to see where our schedule is at so that no one is left behind. And please stay out of trouble. Any questions about what we're doing here?"

There was only a general murmur, one that sounded relatively pleased, and when no one spoke up Erwin started to eat his own breakfast again.

"Am I coming with you to meet your contact, Erwin?" Hanji said, her hands still laced together in front of her beaming face.

"No, I think it's best if I meet him myself first. If he’s willing to help, then I'll see if he wants to meet you."

Hanji sighed sadly, and then pulled her wand out from behind her ear.

"Fine." She said. "Come on, Moblit, why don't we go practice polymorphing? I've been promising you a lesson for a while now, haven't I?"

Moblit, who had been sitting on the other side of her, pulled the first happy looking face Levi had seen him make since he'd joined the group. Together they walked out, and most of the others began dispersing too, having already eaten breakfast. After they finished theirs, Levi and Erwin left their plates and went back up to their room.

Levi was quite content with the news that they were going to be staying in Karanes for at least a few days, especially after what they had gone through to get there. He was with Erwin in this now, but traveling was hard and he missed having an actual bed to sleep in and eating decent food every night. It would be nice to relax for a few days, or as much as he could, anyway, and not have to worry about getting attacked, either.

When they got back to their room, he sat down in a chair by the window, picking up one of his daggers. If he didn't have anything to do today, he was going to clean them, and scrub the rest of his gear down too. He’d almost been pointedly avoiding Erwin’s gaze ever since they’d left the table, his thoughts still focused on how embarrassed he’d been when Hanji started talking about his fucking dick. She’d done it on purpose just to mess with him, and he knew Erwin well enough by now to know that he wasn’t going to get out of this unscathed.

So he hadn’t said anything to him, the very tips of his ears still feeling hot as he thought about what she had said angrily, but found himself glancing at Erwin from his chair while he got ready to go. He apparently was just going to stick to normal clothes today, and he watched him get his sword and shield and strap it all on, unable to stop himself from staring appreciatively at how low the sword belt hung on his hips when he wasn't wearing his armor.

When he was done, he set his eyes on Levi, walking over to place his hands on both arms of the chair and lean over him. “Is it true what Hanji said?”

Levi automatically scowled, slumping back against the chair in defeat. Erwin was looking at him with an amused expression, taking in the returning blush that was blooming across his cheeks. He’d asked him in elvish, too, which made Levi feel warm for a different reason, and he bit his lip before answering.

“I guess, I’m not really an expert on detailed human cock anatomy. Except for how I almost have to wield yours with both hands like a goddamn two-hander.”

“I think this explains a lot.” Erwin murmured, ignoring at his joke and watching him shift.

He seemed to be enjoying Levi’s discomfort, but for what reason he couldn’t tell until Erwin leaned forward so he could kiss him lightly on the mouth, his own lips curved up into a small smile as he pressed them to his cheek and along his jaw too.

“Shut up. What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Levi said, grabbing at the front of his tunic with one hand, turning his head so that Erwin’s next kiss landed on the corner of his mouth.

“Your absolute inability to be quiet when I’m fucking you.” Erwin said matter-of-factly, the tops of his own cheeks starting to look pink from the thought. “The way you start squirming even when I’ve barely touched you. You’re just too sensitive.”

Levi’s lips parted in an effort for him to say something in response, but before he could Erwin had taken advantage and kissed him full on the mouth, bringing a hand up to grasp at his jaw to hold his head still. He kissed him excitedly, taking the breath out of him with the movements of his lips and the firm feel of his fingers pressed into his skin.

“I’m more interested in the other piece of information Hanji mentioned, though.” Erwin said once he had pulled away a few moments later, keeping Levi’s head angled so he could stare down at him while he spoke. “I wonder how many times I can make you come.”

The absolute heated look in his eyes and determined expression on his face almost made Levi shudder, and it was all he could do to not whine low in his throat at his words.

“Erwin-” He said instead, although he wasn’t sure whether it was a plea for him to stop talking or to keep going.

Erwin kissed him again, and then made the decision for him when he pulled away, running his thumb over his bottom lip before he spoke.

"I have to go now.” He said, giving him a fond look. “Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone.”

Before Levi could answer, Erwin had quickly kissed him one last time and headed for the door, closing it behind him and leaving an irritated and slightly flustered Levi in his wake. Half of him couldn’t believe Erwin had just left after saying all that shit, but the other half of him wasn’t surprised.

Bastard. He thought only slightly sullenly, reaching between his legs to adjust his cock - fully hard again even after what they’d done that morning in perfect accordance with Hanji’s blather - before throwing all of his focus into cleaning his daggers.

He wiped both of them until they were spotless and then sharpened them, and then he scrubbed all of his leathers in the tub, including his boots. Then he cleaned Erwin’s armor after he saw it still lying in a pile where he’d let it the night before, washing away the dirt and grime until it was clean and shining. After that, he cleaned the parts of their room that he deemed dirty, which actually wasn’t a lot. By then it was only lunchtime and Erwin still wasn’t back, so he ate and decided to take a walk through the market that was near the inn.

He browsed and stopped when he saw a stall selling rogue goods. He found himself looking, and ended up trading some rare herbs he'd gathered on their way there for vanishing powder and a few different things he would’ve packed if he'd planned on going on this adventure from the start. He was a good rogue, relying on his skills more than anything, but sometimes situations arose where you needed a little something extra and he would always rather be prepared.

Among these items was a new lock picking kit - the one he’d used to break into Erwin’s room back in Trost was rusty - blinding power to throw into enemies’ eyes, whetstones to sharpen his daggers, and darts that he often applied poison to tips of in case his opponent tried to get away.

There was another thing he picked up too, something that caught his eye while he was browsing. It was a small, spring loaded grappling hook that you held in your hand, a weapon he'd used before that could be useful when you were trying to get inside places you couldn't climb. He didn't know why, but he wanted it.

"Interested?" The shopkeeper asked, eyeing Levi from behind his stall.

Levi weighed the weapon in his hand, thinking. The only thing he had left to trade was a couple vials of poisons he'd made while they were traveling, and even though he wasn’t sure the merchant would be interested, he supposed it was worth a shot.

"This will kill an orc with one knick." He said, pulling all but one vial out of his pocket and holding them up.

The shopkeeper squinted, picking one out of Levi's hand and removing the cork to sniff it. The fumes made his eyes water and his nose burn visibly, enough so that he had to stop the vial back up so he could wipe the tears away and rub at his nostrils. He was apparently impressed and knew enough about poisons to know Levi was telling the truth, and just nodded. Levi took the weapon and attached it to his belt, thanking the shopkeeper and leaving the market.

After that, there was not much left for him to do except go back to the tavern and start drinking.

When he walked in, he immediately spotted Erd, Gunther, Petra, and Auruo at a table, all of them tentatively waving him over. He still didn’t see any sign of Erwin, so he joined them, deciding to order a cup of tea when he sat down. The tavern was still fairly empty and quiet, but as it grew closer to evening, more and more patrons began to filter in and the bar became more crowded and rowdy as people started drinking. At some point a bard showed up, and he started singing and playing lively tunes on his lute while ale was passed around freely and people began to sing along.

The atmosphere was fun and exciting, the air hazy with colored smoke from the magical hookahs people were smoking in the corners, and even Levi felt in decently high spirits, especially after he’d had a drink or two and some warm dinner.

Once he ate, he spotted a group of patrons about to start a card game, and when he saw how much coin they were dropping on the table to gamble with his fingers itched to play. He was debating joining them when he had a sudden thought of what he could do with the money, and that was how, by the time Erwin finally came back, he found himself locked into a tense game of cards with two humans, a dark elf, an orc, and some strange cat-like creature that he assumed was from across the sea.

Erwin sat down to drink with Mike across the tavern when he walked in, but Levi didn't budge, fully engrossed in his card game at that point. He'd already won a few coins thanks to his incredible poker face, and had no intentions of quitting now when he had a chance to win everything.

They looked at each other a few times though, when Levi felt Erwin's gaze staring almost curiously into the top of his head, and he would lift his eyes to meet Erwin's blue ones quickly, licking his lips or subtly raising an eyebrow before he was forced to turn back to his game. Eventually, though, he retreated upstairs after Mike left and when it began to grow late, shooting Levi one last look over his shoulder.

Levi was certainly more than ready to join him, but he had a card game to win first.

By then it was just him, one of the humans, and the cat creature left, and he wanted the huge change purse the cat had placed in the middle of the table. He'd been staring daggers at it the entire game, trying to weigh with his eyes how much money might be inside of it. He needed a certain amount of gold for what had occurred to him earlier, and just by glancing at it, it seemed to be more than enough.

The human was nothing and would be easy to beat, Levi had immediately known, especially after he realized how drunk he was getting. Levi took advantage of it, buying him more drinks with a few of the coins he’d already won, toasting him when they came and pretending to down his own drink while the stupid idiot chugged his, too drunk and happy to notice. The cat on the other hand, was clever, his sharp, bright eyes taking in Levi’s every movement. He would be harder to beat, and wouldn’t fall for anything as stupid as that.

In the middle of their next round, the human quickly became too drunk to play. He was swaying in his seat, squinting at his cards almost comically as he struggled to focus. When it was his turn, they waited for him to draw a card, and after a moment where it became apparent that he had no idea what was going on, Levi leaned over to look at his cards and reached to pick a specific one from his hand between two fingers.

“An ace. What shitty luck.” He said in a blank voice, setting the card down onto the table.

An ace was an automatic loss in this game, and that was why he had picked the card. The cat just looked at him while the man swayed more in his seat, not even appearing to notice what Levi had done. After another second he slumped back, and slid out of his chair and onto the floor in a drunken, unconscious heap. His cards scattered everywhere and patrons were forced to step over him, but Levi and the cat just continued to eye each other, sizing each other up silently.

"Humans are pathetic at holding their booze, don't you think?" Levi deadpanned from behind his hand after another second, eyeing the cat's face to try and pick up any weaknesses or subtle hints about what kind of cards he might be holding. "What about you though, can I buy you a drink? Some spiked milk, maybe?"

"I know better than to accept drinks from rogues, elf." He said in a scratchy voice, the first words Levi had heard him speak all night.

"You won't accept a drink from a rogue, but you'll gamble with one? What kind of logic is that?”

“What does a rogue know about logic?”

“I know it would be easier to just kill you and take your shitty gold than it would be to poison a drink that comes from the bar.”

"Are you threatening me?" The cat asked, although to his credit, he still sounded just as bored as Levi did and not at all concerned.

Which was good, because the more alcohol Levi drank, the more difficult it was for him to hold his tongue and not talk shit.

It was something that had gotten him into many fights, and subsequently kicked out of many taverns before in the past. That was when he'd been younger though, and before he'd had to look out for other people. He certainly had no real desire to start a fight here, especially when Erwin had told him not to get into any trouble.

"No, I'm stating a fact. Are you going to deal, or are we going to sit here all night? I've got more important places to be." He said, biting his tongue and glancing towards the stairs where Erwin had disappeared.

The cat rolled his eyes, and reached a clawed hand towards the stack of cards. It was difficult, but Levi eventually won. The game they were playing allowed for ties, and after 3 of them, Levi finally beat him, but barely. Afterward, there was a tense moment where he thought the cat wasn't going to hand over his winnings, but all it took was him throwing an arm over the back of his chair so he could reach over his lap and grip the handle of his dagger for him to give it up. Levi wouldn't have actually killed him, of course, not here, but he had no problem taking advantage of a rogue’s bad reputation in situations like these.

The cat stood up and actually hissed at him before he slunk away, and Levi waited until he'd left the tavern before he rose from his chair to count his coins. Beyond satisfied, he put it all in the change purse except for what he was going to leave for payment and pocketed it, reaching for his cup to down the rest of his mead.

Gunther and Auruo were still drinking, everyone else having apparently gone to bed, and Levi told them goodnight before he snuck upstairs, leaving the music and the loud sounds of the tavern behind him. When he opened the door to Erwin’s room, hoping he had not already gone to sleep, he found him sitting at the desk studying scrolls.

"Erwin." Levi said, walking over to him.

“Hm?” Erwin said, most of his attention still on the scroll he was reading.

“This is yours.”

Levi pulled the change purse he'd just won out of his pocket, dropping it onto the table with a loud clunk. Erwin set down his scroll, reaching out a hand to inspect the purse and flip open the clasp so he could see what was inside.

"What's this for?" He asked with a frown, his blue eyes sweeping over Levi's face.

Levi bit at his lip. He hadn’t thought this through much more than focusing on getting the gold to pay Erwin back for what he had stolen in Trost, and suddenly he felt unsure. It was strange; the incident had happened weeks ago and he’d mostly forgotten about it. He knew it didn’t matter, but he still wished he hadn’t done it, and so when he saw the gold on the table he knew it was the only way he might be able to pay him back. "Its more than what I stole that time, but-”

"Oh, I see." Erwin said quietly, suddenly understand what Levi was doing. “You didnt have to do that, Levi. You won all this, so its yours.”

Even as he spoke, Erwin was smiling softly, enough to make him sparkle and glow brighter. He reached out to tug Levi over to him, pulling him forward until he climbed into his lap, pressing his face against his chest so he could hide his stupid, warm flush.

"Just take it, dammit.” Levi mumbled. “You know how hard it was to beat that last guy? He smelled like a wet animal."

"I can't imagine it being too terribly difficult. You were cheating, after all."

Levi, who had quickly become distracted with how close he was to Erwin, froze immediately, the arms he’d wrapped tightly around his middle slackening again. Shit! How had he known Levi was cheating? He hadn't been watching him _that_ closely, had he? Apparently he had been, but when Levi flicked his eyes up to look at him questioningly, Erwin's lips were still curved upward into a small smile and he just looked amused.

"I wanted to pay you back." Levi said by way of explanation, hoping that would be all that mattered.

It seemed to be, because Erwin just lowered his head to press his lips to Levi’s forehead.

"Thank you, Levi." Erwin murmured against his skin. "But you've already paid me back."

"Erwin-” Levi said, cutting himself off because he’d been caught off guard by his words and the endearing look he was giving him. He wasn’t sure how to respond, so he pressed his face against his chest again instead, his fingers tugging at the back of Erwin’s shirt impatiently. "Stop talking and take me to bed already."

He heard Erwin laugh softly from above him, felt the low rumble in his chest as he bent again to kiss his face, his lips moving over his cheek until Levi turned his head. Then Erwin was kissing him slowly on the lips, wrapping strong arms around him to pick him up and carry him to the bed like he’d requested. Levi kept his arms and legs wound around him tightly and didn’t let go, even after Erwin laid him on his back and leaned over him. The night before had been rushed, but now Erwin took his time and fucked him slowly much like that morning, Levi getting lost in his kisses and soft touches almost as soon as he’d hit the bed.

It was nice to be somewhere safe and alone where they didn’t have to worry about being attacked or found out, where they could just focus completely on each other and let go. By the time Levi finally came trembling and breathless in Erwin’s arms, he was so overwhelmed with feeling that he could think of nothing else except for Erwin, how Erwin felt inside him and around him and how he never wanted it to stop or go away. The thought stuck with him after, keeping him up with wide eyes long after Erwin had fallen asleep with him pulled tightly against his chest, wondering where these feelings had come from and how this had all happened.

The next morning, Levi woke up to Erwin running _him_ a bath this time, running a hand through his hair until he opened his eyes. He was a quick learner, guessing that Levi would want to take a bath since he hadn’t washed off the night before, and they climbed into the tub together so Levi could lean with his back against Erwin’s chest.

“I need you to do something for me today, Levi.” Erwin murmured quietly, his voice coaxing and gentle as he ran wet fingertips down his arm.

Levi grunted in acknowledgement - it was the only sound he could make in response, feeling lazy and like he was still half-asleep from how warm and comfortable he was.

“The man I contacted yesterday has agreed to help us. His name is Pixis, and he wants to meet Hanji and take us to the library today.”

“Pixis?”

“Yes, he’s a sorcerer.”

“Let me guess. You need me to come along to protect you?” Levi teased, feeling a soft puff of air against the back of his neck that was Erwin exhaling in amusement. “I think you could use a bodyguard.”

“No, he’s told me the Mage Council is meeting today, and I want you to spy on them.”

That woke Levi up fully. His eyes snapped open all the way and he leaned forward, turning his body around so he could look at Erwin. Even if he hadn’t suspected it from Erwin’s request, the look he was giving Levi was serious enough for him to know that this was important. His lips were pulled down into a frown and his brows were drawn, his eyes searching Levi’s face and waiting for his answer. He looked solemn, and it was all in stark contrast to the soft way in which he was still touching him.

"Why?"

"I have a hunch, and I think this is an opportunity to confirm it. Pixis is going to submit a request for access to the records under his name, and when the council meets today I want to know what they say if they discuss it. They'll meet this afternoon in the Mage’s Tower, in the center of town. Do you think you can sneak inside to spy on them?"

"Maybe." Levi said after a moment, watching Erwin’s eyes flick away to stare at where his fingers were wrapped around his arm. Levi turned around when Erwin looked back up at him, leaning against his chest again and closing his eyes when he felt the press of Erwin's lips against his shoulder. "How guarded is it?"

"It's fairly guarded on the outside, and those stationed there will have been trained with detection abilities so you’ll need to be careful. Once you get inside though, I think it will be easier to get around. There will be traps, but -”

“Traps? Magical traps? I’m pretty good at sensing traps, but if they’re set up with some weird ass magic I won’t be able to disarm them.”

“Let me finish.” Erwin said, his nose in Levi’s hair now as he shushed him. His other arm was wrapped around Levi’s midsection, and when he felt Erwin’s palm graze across his stomach his fingers curled against the sides of the tub. “I have a map that shows where the traps are located. If you study it, you can just avoid them rather than having to worry about disarming anything. The council chambers are located near the top of the tower, though, and there are very few routes up there.”

“When are they meeting?”

“Sometime this afternoon. If you leave after breakfast, it should give you plenty of time to sneak in and find a safe spot for eavesdropping. The chamber will be empty until everyone arrives. Will you do it, Levi?”

Levi had kept his eyes closed, thinking while Erwin spoke to him and listening to the sound of his voice. It wasn’t a question of if he would do it or not, not at this point. He was ready to do whatever Erwin asked him within reason, and he found that he didn’t even care about the extremely vague explanation he had given him. He didn’t think Erwin would be asking him to do this if it wasn’t important, especially since it was so potentially dangerous.

_That_ was the question, though: whether he could actually do it or not. He’d snuck into a lot of difficult places in his career as a rogue - noble’s houses, city halls, in and out of jail cells, bank vaults. One time he'd even snuck into a heavily guarded wagon - one that was moving in a caravan through the wilderness - because he'd had to threaten the person inside for money they owed to an important politician. He'd been caught a few times in his adventures, but he'd always managed to escape.

This time though, the stakes would be higher. If he got caught it wouldn't just affect him, but Erwin and his plan and the entire group. He wasn't going to say no, of course, he just knew he would have to do all he could to make sure he wasn’t discovered.

"Okay, Erwin." He said, leaning his head against Erwin's when he bent to kiss his cheek in response.

After they got out of the bath and got dressed, Erwin showed him the map. He pulled it out of his overflowing pack of scrolls and unrolled it on the desk, standing beside Levi while he inspected it. He pointed out the entrance and showed him all the spots on the map indicating where there were traps, tracing his finger along the paper until he stopped on the room where the council chamber was.

"Any questions?" Erwin said when he was through, glancing at Levi who was staring down at the map with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, where did you get this map?"

It was clearly something Erwin should not be in possession of, Levi thought, if the 'Property of the Mage Council' stamp across the top was anything to go by, not to mention the top secret and potentially devastating information it displayed.

"From a man sent by the paladin's order to investigate me. This was years ago, but don't worry, he didn't find anything." Erwin just said calmly, like it was no big deal to be investigated and untrusted by your own order.

"Years ago?" Levi said, not even going to ask how he'd actually acquired it from the investigator. He moved to place his fingers onto the map, over the spot indicating a particularly large trap. "How do you know this is right, then?"

"According to Pixis, it doesn't change. It's too much trouble to undo the magic keeping the traps armed and redoing them somewhere else. Also, not many people actually try to break into the tower. I don't think anyone has ever been successful."

"Great." Levi said, the disdainful look he'd worn only deepening. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because it doesn't matter, Levi. I think you can do it. Your skills at things like this exceeds anything I've ever seen."

"What happens if I get caught?"

Erwin was silent for a moment, as if he was weighing his question and searching for a good answer. "Don't get caught. Do everything you can to not get caught."

"What if that means I have to kill someone?"

"I would like you to avoid that if possible.”

“What if its not possible?” Levi pressed on, his stomach suddenly feeling tight with nerves. “What if the only way for me to not get captured is to kill someone?”

“I don’t want you to kill anyone, Levi.” Erwin said, his hand a firm presence on his shoulder to calm him and his voice suddenly thick with something serious. “Don’t, unless there’s no other way for you to escape. If you hear something important, in the end I want you to make it back no matter what.”

“Don’t you think this would be easier if you told me what I’m supposed to listen for, then?” Levi asked, turning to look up at Erwin, his eyes searching. For some reason after learning more details, he felt that Erwin’s response to this question was important to him, and he watched as Erwin averted his eyes back down to the map, his pupils becoming unfocused as he thought. “Erwin?”

“The Mage Council knows something about the titans.” He said then, blinking and looking back at Levi who was now staring at him with rapt attention. “At least, that’s what I suspect. What they might know or to what extent, I can’t be sure of, but they’re the strongest organization in the entire region and have the power to actually fight back against them. They don’t help though, all they’ve done since the attacks began is become more and more isolationist, and any attempt made through them to find out more information is blocked.”

“Okay.” Levi said quickly, eyes wide because he had not been expecting all of that.

He wasn’t even sure if he had expected Erwin to answer at all. Even though Levi wanted him too, he would have still done this anyway if he hadn’t, even if Erwin had refused to tell him anything much less his entire explanation. It was because Levi trusted him, but that was something he already knew without a doubt. Because of what Erwin had done for him it hadn’t taken long for him to feel that way, but Erwin was a different story.

Levi had realized after trying to kill him and what Erwin told him after he’d stolen his gold that even though he was giving Levi a chance, his trust was something he would have to earn. It seemed that now, after the lich and the golems and everything else they’d been through in the past months, he had. Still, he thought over his reluctance to feel such things, he would like to hear it - especially because of what he was about to do.

“Erwin.” He said, swallowing and looking down so that his fringe covered his eyes. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” Erwin answered after a moment, his voice quiet at first and then becoming more firm. “Yes, Levi, I trust you.”

“I trust you too, Erwin.” Levi murmured, staring at the ground for another moment before he looked up again, for once not even caring about the color on his cheeks.

Erwin saying that made him feel happy, made him feel like whatever remaining guilt he had left over from what he’d done didn’t matter. When he glanced at Erwin, though, expecting to see a matching warm expression on his face, Levi thought he just looked defeated. He frowned in confusion, but before he could say anything Erwin had moved a hand to grip his jaw, running his thumb over Levi’s cheek in a soft gesture.

“Thank you for doing this.” He said, his words sincere despite his expression.

It caught Levi off guard and he was sure it showed on his face, in the way his eyes widened slightly as they locked with Erwin’s and how his lips parted. He couldn’t look away, not when Erwin was holding his face like this, so he just stared up at him from underneath his lashes and tried to ignore the sudden swell of emotion in his gut.

Erwin’s words made him think about how dangerous this really was, and what might happen if he got caught and couldn’t escape. He didn’t know the penalty for breaking into the mage council’s tower, but he imagined for someone like him, it wouldn’t be anything less than death. And if they really were corrupt like Erwin thought, then was there any reason to believe that they wouldn’t just kill him on the spot?

Levi didn’t want to get caught, of course. He didn’t want to be killed or locked up, or cause trouble for the group. He wanted to come back alive, but most of all, he wanted to come back to Erwin. The thought almost made him more anxious than the idea of getting caught did. Erwin made him feel good, and happy, so much so that he always wanted to be around him.

Somehow, Erwin had become incredibly important to him, important enough for him to feel on the edge of distraught at the idea of losing even a scrap of what he had accidentally found.

“Its nothing.” He said softly, despite what he was feeling.

His voice sounded thick to his ears though, so he looked away, reaching up to wrap his fingers around Erwin’s and pull his hand down. He then turned and rolled up the map, sticking it underneath his tunic and into his pants where he wouldn’t lose it. He started to head towards the door, because surely it was time for them to head down to breakfast, when Erwin stopped him.

“Levi, wait.” He said, following him.

When Levi stopped, turning slightly, he was surprised at how fast Erwin stepped towards him. He grabbed the front of his cloak and jerked him forward, wrapping his other arm around his back tightly to pull him against his chest. His face was pressed against Levi’s neck before he knew what was happening, so close that his lips brushed over his skin as he murmured something that sounded like a spell.

It was a spell - a blessing - he realized immediately, the magic making him feel tingly all over. But whether it was meant to make him stronger, or faster, or protect him, he didn’t know, because all he felt was an intense feeling of bliss and warm emotion wash over him, so strong and sudden that it made his eyes widen.

“Erwin!” He gasped, reaching around to clutch at the back of his shirt. Then Erwin was kissing him when it was over, hard enough to make him breathless, and by the time he pulled away the tingling from the magic had gone from everywhere except his lips.

“You won’t get caught, Levi.” Erwin said, looking down at him.

His cheeks were pink, Levi noticed, but whether it was from the spell or the kiss he didn't know.

“I won’t get caught.” Levi replied, staring back up, suddenly feeling confident and determined.

It was probably the blessing, but whatever. He turned, and together they headed towards the door.

“See Nanaba before you go. She’ll give you a blessing too.”

“Will it be like that?”

“Ah, I don’t think so.” Erwin said from behind Levi, his tone hinting at amusement despite everything else.

Levi didn't think so either. He'd been blessed before, but it had never felt like that. He didn't have much time to think about it though, because they were downstairs and he had to eat and begin focusing on what he was about to do. He listened as Erwin told Hanji about the meeting, mentioning nothing about what Levi was going to do to anyone.

When Nanaba left the table, Erwin nudged him, looking in her direction and hinting for Levi to follow. He jumped up, following her out of the inn, aware that Mike was watching him the entire time despite Erwin's best attempts at being subtle.

"Nanaba." He spoke in elvish as he caught up to her. "I...need a blessing."

He wasn't sure how much he should say, but Nanaba didn't ask questions.

"Of course." She just said, placing a hand on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

When she mumbled the words, all he felt was a vague sense that he had grown stronger, the tingling feeling spreading over him and ending in his fingers and toes instead of his lips. It was nothing like the intense rush he'd gotten from Erwin, like Erwin had been hitting him with emotion instead of magic.

The thought settled into the pit of his stomach as he looked back to Erwin, wondering if it was time for him to leave. Erwin caught his eye, giving him a small nod, and they stared at each other for another moment before Levi turned and left, heading outside the inn and into the street for what would hopefully not be a one way trip.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you for reading! Please feel free to say hello to me on twitter (@damnchou) and tumblr (goddamnchou.tumblr.com) :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, Levi crept along a table covered with strange tools and scrolls inside the tower, vaguely glancing at everything on it from the side, and froze when his eyes suddenly locked with the dead ones of a severed head. It was in a jar and suspended inside some sort of slimy, blue liquid, and with a sharp jolt he immediately realized it wasn’t just any severed head, but the severed head of a titan. The purple markings on its face were a dead giveaway, and as Levi gazed into its void stare, he felt a deep pit of dread start to settle in his stomach.
> 
> Why was this here? Was Erwin right? Was the Mage Council in on it?

Once he was outside the inn, Levi checked one more time to make sure he had his map and the things he'd bought the day before. His grappling hook was there, and his powders, and of course his poisons and the pellets he used to distract anyone who might get too close or glimpse him.

All of it was useful for what he was about to do, and although he hoped he wouldn’t have to use any of it, it was good to be prepared.

Sure that he had everything he could possibly need for stealthing about, he adjusted his belts and took a breath, stepping off the sidewalk and into the narrow streets. It was still early so they weren’t very crowded, and it made it easier for him to find his way to the center of town, navigating the twisting, angled labyrinth that was downtown Karanes until he spotted what had to be the Mage Tower.

Although there were no signs pointing to it or anything like that, Karanes was made up of many spires and tall buildings, and this one was the biggest and obviously the most important. It loomed over all the rest, the pristine, white brick it was made out of glinting in the sunlight. It was decorated, too, which couldn’t be said for any of the other buildings, with shiny blue and gold embellishments that swirled around it in fantastic, intricate spiral patterns.

The closer Levi got to it, the citizens and merchants milling about the streets grew more sparse than they already were, and the frequency of guards began to increase. He decided it was time to cloak himself before he was noticed, and he ducked into an alley to raise his hood, concentrating long enough to make himself invisible before resuming his trek.

Minutes later, he slipped through a gate that seemed to designate the entrance to the tower’s private property, and from there on out, his easy walk was over. Erwin hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told Levi it would be hard to get inside, and once he was on the other side of the fence the amount of guards suddenly doubled. Luckily, there were still buildings here and there surrounding the tower - nobleman homes, perhaps - and he just climbed onto one in hopes of avoiding them.

From the rooftops, he was able to see the tower clearly, too, and that it was built on top of a large, square platform, surrounded on all four sides by magnificent staircases made out of the same white brick as the building. They were tall, consisting of more stairs than Levi could fucking count, and of course there were dozens and dozens of guards crawling all over them and around the tower.

The bastards made Levi more nervous than he let on. They looked just like any other guard he’d seen in the city, but according to Erwin they weren’t normal. They had detection abilities - magical skills that meant if he wasn’t extremely careful, they would be able to see right through his stealth. There were a lot of them, too, more than enough to make this difficult, but also more than what Levi would consider to be necessary.

Clearly, the Mage Council did not want anyone entering their tower uninvited. Whether it had to do with Erwin’s suspicions or not, Levi was going to find out.

Crouching on his rooftop, he bit his lip and surveyed his surroundings, taking in as many details as he could with his sharp senses. As he watched the guards, he found himself thinking that he didn’t know many rogues who would have a chance of sneaking into a place like this alone, but he had skills that others did not.

Besides, even though the platform was mostly open, there were a few places he spotted that he could hide against or sneak along - statues and fountains and columns, and thick gardens full of bushes and trees that grew around the tower. It wasn't much, but it would have to be enough, and after watching the guards for a while and studying their movements, he’d thought he’d memorized their patrols at least enough to come up with a potential path he could take.  

It would mean taking the stairs wasn’t an option, though, so he crept his way along the sloped roof he was on, leaping onto a few others until he was atop a building that had been constructed right against the base of the platform. There was a balcony below the edge, and he dismounted onto it to survey the distance. It was quite a leap to the platform from the railing, but if he got a decent run he was confident he could make it.

It was close. Levi balanced himself perfectly along the railing, taking a running jump and vaulting from the end of it only to have to kick himself up off the wall of the platform before his fingers caught the edge. There was another gate above it that he would have to climb - likely to prevent people like him from doing the exact thing he’d just done - but he was agile enough to scale it.

Just as he was pulling himself up to grip the railing, though, he froze; there was a guard not even five feet away from him.

_Shit._ He thought, a jolt of panic racing through him, his fingers clenching around the metal of the gate.

The guard's back was to him and he obviously hadn't heard anything, but where had this pig come from? He must have walked over while Levi was on the balcony and couldn’t see over the platform, letting him know that he needed to get on top where he could keep an eye on things as quickly as possible.

Barely daring to breathe, he reached into his back pocket for one of his pellets, silently thanking whatever gods existed again that he'd gotten these supplies the day before. Raising his arm, he threw it over his shoulder and over the guard's head, yards away from them both. When it hit the ground it made a popping noise just loud enough for him to hear, and naturally he went over to investigate.

Levi scrambled over the gate as soon as he was out of earshot, hauling himself over it while the guard was distracted and hitting the ground on the other side in a quiet crouch.

From there on, he moved like a shadow, creeping silent and unnoticed along the platform and concentrating only on keeping himself cloaked, putting one foot in front of the other, and on controlling his breathing and heartrate. When he was this focused and stealthing, it was almost like he was in a trance, like everything around him was moving in slow motion, and before he knew it he’d successfully reached a large fountain without being discovered.

He ducked behind it and paused there, taking a moment to breathe and to survey his surroundings again. There were two guards on the other side, he noticed immediately, and he could hear them talking.

“You hear about what happened to that guy?”

“What guy?”

“The one they caught trying to break in last week.”

“What about him? Didn’t he just disappear like all the rest?”

“Yeah, but I heard someone saw him being taken upstairs - you know, where we aren’t allowed to go. He said he heard him _screaming._ ”

Levi narrowed his eyes. He was listening intently to what the guards were saying, but suddenly, he saw a third approaching. He had no choice - he had to move away, and as he continued along the path he’d imagined for himself he thought about what he’d just heard.

It wasn’t much, but it basically confirmed what he had assumed: that getting caught meant something bad, and that Erwin was at least right about the Mage Council being up to something shady. But what the hell were they doing to prisoners in there, if they were screaming? He could think of a few things, none of them pleasant, but if he continued to dwell on it he would lose concentration. Pushing the thought out of his mind for now, he continued on, moving slowly but surely and ever closer to the tower.

Luckily, the blessings Erwin and Nanaba gave him helped a great deal. There was a definite difference in how much he was able to keep focused, and his already sharp senses were made so precise that he felt like he noticed things almost before they even happened. He was faster, too, even though he was practically tiptoeing. His reactions and movements were quicker, and although he wasn't relying on strength really, he was sure that had been increased also.

The thought was comforting in case this came down to a fight, but even so, he was tense. Sweat dripped down the back of his neck and although he was managing to keep his heart rate steadied, every beat still hammered loudly in his ears - a deafening sound in comparison to how quiet he was being.

His eyes were continuously flicking around, too, to make sure all the guards were staying true to their patrols. His path was dependant on that and although he thought he’d memorized them pretty well, it wasn’t like he’d observed them for hours or anything like that. If he’d made a mistake or they adjusted, he would have to think quickly and act fast, somehow without throwing everything else off. If he moved to slow or too quickly as it was, he might be caught in between two guards or right in front of one with no where to go.

All of this meant that in addition to concentrating on remaining invisible and controlling how he moved and breathed, Levi was counting out every single step he took in his own mind, pausing when he needed to if he had to wait for a guard to pass, and estimating the seconds it took for them to move towards or away from him. It wasn’t easy, but he was almost perfectly accurate - so accurate that he only had to throw a pellet one other time before he made it to the garden surrounding the tower.  

That was his goal, and he finally reached it after what was probably one of the most intense thirty minutes of his lifetime. He was so relieved to reach an area with better coverage, though,  that he almost slipped up and ruined everything.

As he slinked by a tree, a guard walked out from behind it right in front of him, not even 2 feet away. The bastard detected him - the first one to do so that day - but before he could even turn his head Levi drew his dagger, moving swiftly to jam the handle of it against the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He was incapacitated immediately, the nerve Levi had purposely hit knocking him out and paralyzing him. It would only last for a few hours, but as Levi dragged him up against the backside of the tree he hoped that he would be long gone by then, and that none of this guy's friends would find him.

It was a fuck up, he knew. He'd gotten careless at the last moment, and even though he was internally cursing himself there was nothing he could do about it now. He would just have to make sure it didn’t happen again, especially once he got inside.  

Carefully, he left the unconscious guard behind and crept over to the wall of the tower, crouching down under a window to pull out the map Erwin had given him. According to what he remembered, every entrance on the first floor - including the windows - was armed with magical traps. Inspecting the old parchment, he saw that he was right and that every floor above that was completely unarmed.

_Tch. Idiots._ Levi thought, rolling up the map again and craning his head to look at the second floor window above him.

Stopping the traps after the first floor was stupid, because the tower was made of large brick and easily climbable. It would've been smarter to extend them higher up, but Levi supposed they didn't expect anyone to even get past the fucking army of guards they had stationed outside. It was arrogant, he thought, but he wasn't really complaining. Their ignorance had worked to his advantage, because now he wouldn't have to climb very far up at all.

Once he got close to the window, though, he realized with another near stop of his heart that he'd been wrong about them being completely stupid. There was a guard there, his back standing to the glass pane. Freezing again with a frustrated litany of curses running through his mind, he thought about what to do.

Were all the windows watched like this? Even if they were, they were closed, so he couldn't distract the guard by throwing a pellet inside, and picking the window’s lock wasn’t an option. Normally, he would probably do it and toss this asshole out the open window, but, well, that would surely get him discovered even if the lockpicking itself didn’t.

Looking around, he saw that a few more stories up there was a balcony that appeared to be open to the tower, the entrance covered by sheer curtains instead of a door. He climbed around the window and up to it, slowly and carefully, and when he got closer he caught a glimpse of the inside through the billowing fabric.

He didn't see a guard, and after listening for any strange sounds he didn't hear anything either, so he pulled himself over the railing silently and very carefully made his way in after checking the map again for traps. He could tell where he was and remembering the path he and Erwin had worked out inside the tower, he saw an easy way to reach it and to go from there - provided he didn't run across anything else unexpected, anyway.

When he got inside the room, though, he immediately realized it was someone’s private quarters and almost thought he’d fucked up again. Everything in here was decorated lavishly, and while Levi wrinkled his nose in distaste, he looked around to make sure that he was alone.

Thankfully, he was. Well, except for the the fat, naked man passed out on the bed.

At the sight of him, Levi's look of disgust increased, especially since the bastard was lying on his back facing him with his legs spread wide open, giving Levi a full view of the wrinkled, shrivelled appendage that lay in between. There was a huge plate of half eaten food next to him too, along with several empty bottles of wine. A hookah was next to the bed with the hose still held in the man's outstretched hand, and briefly, Levi wondered if he was dead.

After taking another look at his foul, fleshy dick though, he decided that he didn’t care.

Once upon a time, Levi still would have raided this room for the expensive jewels and the gold it surely contained, but now he had a better purpose and a real goal. Following the memory of the map imprinted into his mind, he made his way out of the naked man's private rooms and into the tower itself. After that, it wasn't hard to navigate it as Erwin had said. There were noticeably less guards, and the tower did not seem to be occupied by many people at all. As long as he avoided the traps it was easy, but this meant traveling through more personal rooms and the tower’s many, many isolated and secret passages.

Most of the places he traveled through Levi didn’t pay much attention to. Many of them were mostly empty, or contained junk, or were bedrooms or sitting rooms. If the Mage Council was really up to something, he would have expected to see something weird by now, he thought, but so far his trek had been mostly boring and unnoteworthy.

When he got closer to the top though, he finally entered a large room that looked like some sort of laboratory. It was cluttered with weird looking magical artifacts and huge, dusty books and scrolls. It was dark and quiet, and even though it was empty of any people, hundreds of half melted candles were lit and floating about the room.

It was noticeably different from anywhere else Levi had been so far in the tower, and, well, _creepy._ There was no other way to describe it, Levi thought as he looked around. The atmosphere was sinister, heavy and smelling of magic and incense, and Levi felt the short hairs on the back of his neck stand up after a few seconds.

He wasn’t sure why, but his instincts were giving him a bad feeling about this room.

Slowly, he crept along a table covered with strange tools and scrolls, vaguely glancing at everything on it from the side, and froze when his eyes suddenly locked with the dead ones of a severed head. It was in a jar and suspended inside some sort of slimy, blue liquid, and with a sharp jolt he immediately realized it wasn’t just any severed head, but the severed head of a titan. The purple markings on its face were a dead giveaway, and as Levi gazed into its void stare, he felt a deep pit of dread start to settle in his stomach.

Why was this here? Was Erwin right? Was the Mage Council in on it?

He supposed they could just be studying it or something, as there appeared to be other conserved body parts in jars and other weird things all around the room. He didn’t have time to think about it though, because the sudden scrape of a door opening tore him from his thoughts, and he ducked behind a large chair that was pushed into the corner as fast as he could. He peeked around it carefully after a second, just barely enough to glimpse two figures in hooded robes shuffle into the room.

They were pushing a cart, and when he caught sight of them, Levi felt a stab of something in his chest again. This time it was alarm, because the figures looked just like the hooded man who had contracted him to kill Erwin in their hometown, all the way down to the weird purple glow surrounding them and the inky blackness where their faces should be, and the waft of sulfur that Levi smelled when they walked in. He stared with wide eyes and a hammering heart, and a horrible chill running through his veins as he watched them and thought about that night.

Before, in the tavern, it had been dark and he’d been a little drunk. He hadn’t paid much attention to the hooded man, other than what he was asking and only enough to get a vague sense of unease. He’d known something had been off about him then, and as he watched these two figures rolling the cart into the center of the room, he was suddenly sure that it was because they were not human.

They were creatures of some kind, or undead, and they were evil. He could sense it here in a way he couldn’t before in this fucked up room, from the dark magic that was practically radiating off of them in waves. He felt another chill as they got closer, this one running icily down his spine, and whatever hairs on him that hadn’t been standing up before surely were now.

“Stop.” One of them said, in the exact same voice the hooded man from the tavern had used. They both froze immediately when it spoke, taking their hands off their cart, and Levi shrunk back behind the chair hoping that they weren’t stopping because they’d sensed him somehow. “Leave it here. The ritual will be performed later, once we find a suitable prisoner from the cells.”

After that, they left, moving out of the room as quickly as they’d entered, and Levi let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. He waited a moment to make sure they weren’t coming back, and then crept out cautiously from behind the chair. His focus automatically went to the cart they’d left, his eyes taking in what was on it. From here it looked like just a lump, covered with a large, thick cloth. But blood was dripping out from underneath it and onto the floor, and it smelled so badly like shit that it was making his eyes water.

He should leave this room now, he knew, and finish making his way to the council chambers. He was close, only a few more stories to go, and every instinct he had was screaming at him to get out.

For some reason, though, he had to know what was under that cloth.

Sneaking forward and making sure he remained cloaked, he approached the cart. Reaching out, he took the edge of the fabric between his fingers and pulled, stepping back to let it slide off and fall away. He swallowed at what he saw, gritting his teeth and taking another step back.

It was a dead body, just like he’d known in the back of his mind that it would be, and one that had obviously been dead for quite some time. It had been tortured too, if the many, many inflicted wounds on its body were anything to go by. It was covered in blood, and as he looked down, he realized with a sickening jolt to his stomach that  its organs had been removed.

He stared at it with a grim look on his face, suddenly remembering the conversation he’d overheard outside with the two guards. They’d mentioned someone getting captured who’d tried to sneak in, and how they’d heard them screaming. Vaguely, he wondered if that’s who this was, a pang of sympathy for the poor bastard lancing through him. The punishment for sneaking in here was severe indeed, but then, another thought struck him.

What the fuck they were planning on doing with the body?

Whatever it was, there was no doubt in his mind now that Erwin was right and that the Mage Council was up to something ominous. Everything about this was sinister and suspicious, and even though he had no reason to believe they were innocent, it was still a dismaying thought to think they could actually be behind everything.

Everyone always assumed the titan bandits came from somewhere else, never the possibility that they came from inside the region, or that anyone in power here would actually be involved considering how much destruction and ruin they had brought.

Levi had no love for them, of course, but the Mage Council was the most powerful organization there was, one that many people turned to for help. They never provided it though, like Erwin said, and it wasn’t just that they did nothing to fight back against the titans. It was other things too that were suddenly occurring to him, like the magical bubble surrounding the entire city.

There was no wall here - all the citizens could see outside and breath fresh air, living like they weren’t trapped in a prison. If they could do that here, why couldn’t they apply that to every city? Why couldn’t they apply that to even smaller villages, to keep people safe?

Everything about them said they didn’t care, and Levi suddenly wanted nothing more than to stop them and the titans. He hadn’t been doing this to play the hero since he’d decided to help. He’d decided to stay because he didn’t have any other option, and for his friends, and because he wanted to prove himself to Erwin for some reason. Now that he had, he still wanted to help him and Farlan and Isabel, but the fact that a group of people that powerful was allowed to exist and could do something like this was almost terrifying.

Clenching his fists, Levi turned to make his exit, even more determined than he was before to get the information Erwin needed. All he had to do to get to the chambers from here was exit the nearest window and climb the next few stories, entering through a small ventilation duct - the only place he could enter that wasn't rigged with traps.

As he moved towards the window though, something else caught his eye.

It was a scroll sitting unrolled on top of a podium, but it was what was on it that halted him. First he recognized the pictures, the same crude drawings of sorcerers performing a spell that had been in the book Hanji found. But this time, the words were in the common tongue, and Levi saw ‘First Spell of Necromancy: Raising the Dead.’ written at the top, with instructions on how to perform it. That was all it was - it had nothing about the other spell that had been in the book, the one that they suspected to be mind control, but it was still suspicious.

Is that what they were planning to do with the body? Raise it from the dead?

Levi looked back at it with a grimace, and then wondered if they would notice if he stole the scroll to bring back to Erwin. He already had information against them, and would likely get more from spying on the meeting if he was right. This was physical evidence though, actual proof that they were up to something, and it might even help Hanji translate the lich's book. He didn't have much time to decide, because he suddenly heard loud footsteps approaching from outside again.

Snatching the scroll, he rolled it up quickly to shove it into his pants, and silently darted towards the open window. He leapt over the edge of it and attached himself firmly to the side of the tower, gripping the bricks with his fingertips and toes as hard as he could.

Fuck, he was high, he thought, as he got a glimpse of the ground now thousands of yards below him. He wasn't afraid of heights, but he was suddenly acutely aware of how a single small mistake might cost him his life.

Carefully climbing the rest of the way, he eventually reached the shaft he was looking for. It was small, small enough so that even he could barely fit through it, but as he crawled inside and peeked over the edge he finally got a glimpse of the council chamber.

It was empty, and he felt himself relax at the realization for what had been the first time in nearly three hours - if the clock on the wall was correct, anyway. It had taken him that long to get up there, but he'd made it without getting caught. He'd actually fucking snuck into what was basically an impregnable fortress, and now all he had to do was wait for the meeting to begin. He would worry about escaping later.

Levi stayed in place, tucked inside the ventilation shaft for what seemed like another hour. It was a good spot for spying, at the top of the chamber's high ceiling, but not so far away that his sensitive elven hearing couldn't pick up what they would be saying. It was partially behind a pillar too, and he was perfectly eclipsed in shadow which always made him feel more comfortable when he was cloaked.

Unfortunately, no one entered the room before Levi began to develop a cramp in his leg from being wedged so tightly in the shaft, but now he didn’t dare move. He watched and listened as the obvious council members filed in, unable to see everyone from behind the pillar but getting a glimpse of a few of them as they milled about.

There was a man on the short side with grey hair who was obviously a paladin like Erwin, if his solid golden armor, pure white cloak, and sparkling glow were anything to go by. He looked a lot more important though - his armor so elaborate, thick, and decorated in jewels Levi wasn’t sure how he could even walk, especially with how his mantle was bigger than his head. The shield he wore on his back was shiny too, looking like it had never been used, and the large hammer hanging from his waist glowed with what he assumed were complicated and expensive enchantments.

He saw another man, this one more round, with dark hair and a mustache. He was followed by someone taller, this guy sporting a long, grey beard. The first man was a mage and the second looked to be a warlock, and both were dressed in richly patterned robes and carried intricate, glowing staves.

There were others, of course, both men and women of all races. A woman who looked like a druid caught Levi’s eye, and he glimpsed a trio of clerics in the corner. There were more that he couldn’t see, but he heard their voices, and it seemed like every type of magical user had at least a representative or two here. All of them looked extremely wealthy and powerful though, which didn’t surprise Levi at all. He watched as they walked around chatting, some sitting down and others standing until the mage with the black mustache caught their attention.

Apparently he was in charge, and at his request everyone quieted down to start the session. Most of it Levi found more boring than hearing about Hanji’s fucking titan theories, their discussions about the city's finances and stockpiles and other mundane things going right over his head. Another hour passed quickly, and Levi was starting to wonder if they were going to talk about anything interesting at all, especially when the mage adjourned the meeting and all but a handful of people filed out.

"Warlock Lobov," The mage said after he, the warlock, the paladin, and a few others remained. "How are our stockpiles of dark iron?"

Well, this had finally gotten more interesting. Were they having some kind of secret meeting now? Levi looked to where the warlock with the long beard stood up from his chair in response to being addressed, straining his ears so that he wouldn’t miss a single thing he said.

"Still high. With our current rate of usage, I suspect that we won't have to resupply for another month or two."

"And the necromancy and mind control rituals continue to run smoothly?"

"Yes, there haven't been any mishaps."

“And the experiments?”

“There hasn’t been any major progress on making them more intelligent, but they continue to get stronger with each tweak of the spell.”

"Good, good. But we may have a small issue. I have a document here requesting access to the library archives on necromancy. The person who requested it is Dot Pixis."

Levi's ears perked up again - this was what Erwin had specifically told him to listen for.

"Pixis?" The warlock said, spitting the name like it was a curse and stroking his long beard. "He doesn't actually think that he'll be granted access, does he? He agreed to keep quiet after he was removed from the council. What could that crazy fool possibly be up to?"

"I might have some idea. According to the ledger from two days ago, Erwin Smith, our favorite nosy paladin, is in town. And he's not alone, of course, his guild is with him, and he was reportedly seen visiting the area where Pixis lives yesterday. What do you have to say about this, Zacklay?"

The paladin in the room - Zacklay - wrinkled his nose at suddenly being addressed, and cleared his throat.

"I have nothing to say about this. I can't control his movements."

"No." Lobov interrupted, his voice raising. "But if you hadn't failed in getting him arrested and stripped of his magic like we'd told you to, he wouldn't be here right now."

"I did everything you asked. I sent investigators after him, more than once. But he always sidelined them, or managed to find a way out of it somehow." Zacklay said, his voice calm.

He looked exceedingly uncomfortable with this topic, but not because he was afraid, Levi noted, but because he seemed to have an obvious dislike for the other people in the room.

"You should have just had him arrested right away and executed. You're the head of the order, no one would have questioned you."

Zacklay said nothing to Lobov's words, just set his jaw in a hard line and stared at him challengingly.

"I don't understand your hesitance." Lobov continued. "But he is obviously up to something. As you know, his group killed a clan of titans who we had returning to us with a dark iron supply. It's almost certain that he has his hands on dark iron now, especially since he's here speaking with Pixis and snooping around for information about necromancy."

"I told you what you were asking me to do went against all the laws of the order, and if you wanted him killed, you would have to do it yourselves. I thought you had already pursued that route anyway." Zacklay said.

"We did. We continue to send monsters after him, but they’re always killed. Even the lich was stopped. Before that we hired someone, but that seems to have backfired as well." The short mage said, finally speaking up again.

At his words, everyone glanced to someone behind the pillar that Levi couldn't see.

"Yeah, sorry Reiss. The little shit fucked it up, I guess." A voice said, and Levi's eyes - wide because of everything he was hearing - suddenly narrowed.

That voice...surely it wasn’t _him_ , was it? Taking a chance, he leaned out of the duct far enough to see around the pillar, and nearly cursed under his breath at the man he saw sitting at a table, legs propped up and picking his teeth with a knife.

It was Kenny Ackerman, the elven rogue also known as Kenny the Ripper. Levi hadn't seen him in many years, but he knew him. Kenny had taught him a few things when he’d been younger and first starting out, taking him under his wing after he’d found him wandering around in the slums as a teenager. He’d helped him to train a few of his newly learned skills and Levi had always wondered why he’d bothered, assuming that it only had to do with the fact that they were both elves.

Whatever the reason, it hadn’t stopped him from disappearing out of the blue one day, leaving Levi to fend for himself and to start getting jobs on his own. He couldn’t imagine that the elven camaraderie they might have had was going to help him out any now, either, especially after hearing the way Kenny had just talked about him.

It made Levi nervous. He had seen what Kenny could do - he was strong and fast and had honed his skills almost to perfection back then - and he couldn’t imagine what he was like now. All he knew was that he’d become the leader of the rogue’s guild a few years back, which made sense because he was probably the closest thing to what people thought rogues were really like, except ten times worse. He was crafty and cunning and ruthless, and not to mention completely dishonest and untrustworthy.

He was also fucking deranged, Levi thought, so he was surprised to see him here with the kind of people who he'd made a career out of murdering and stealing from.

"You said he was the best rogue for the job." Lobov said, his tone accusatory. "You _assured_ us that he would kill him, not help him."

Kenny shrugged, not looking up. "He's not the same rogue he used to be. It's disappointing - I've seen the heads he's brought back before, he does good work. I'll just fucking take care of it myself, though. For the right price, of course."

At that, Lobov suddenly spluttered angrily, the parts of his face that weren't covered in beard turning red.

"You want more gold? We're already paying you an exorbitant amount to basically do nothing! Not to mention the gold that was given to your little friend for the job, which was a waste!"

"Don't worry about that." Kenny said in a tone that made Levi suddenly nervous, the flash in his eyes visible from here. "But either you pay me what I want, or it doesn’t get done. I don’t think you idiots have any other option, at this point. If you don’t have him killed, he’s going to completely uncover the fucked up operation you’ve got going on in the mountains. Do you think I actually give a shit about that, though? I was only helping you out as a favor to Reiss’ brother, so how about this: either you pay me what I want to kill the bastard, or I just expose all of you myself.”

Suddenly the atmosphere in the room was tense, with Lobov, Reiss the mage, and everyone else except Zacklay shifting uneasily and looking at each other. The paladin didn’t seem to care; he just sat there in the corner, observing the conversation and obviously unperturbed by Kenny’s threats.

“And don’t even think about trying any of your mind control tricks on me, you know that shit won’t work.”

“We’ll pay you what you what, Ackerman. We don't have a choice, like you said. We can't let Erwin Smith find out about the orb." Reiss said, like he was addressing everyone else in the room too. “But you'll only get your money after it's done. That’s fair, isn’t it?”

“Fair? I don’t really care about fair, but fine. I want-”

He was interrupted suddenly by someone pounding on the door, and everyone’s head jerked in that direction. When Reiss opened it, the same type of hooded figure walked in, and bowed low.

“My apologies for interrupting, masters, but we suspect someone has intruded into the tower. A scroll has gone missing, and a guard from the pavilion was knocked unconscious and doesn’t remember how, or what happened.”

“That’s impossible.” Lobov scoffed. “This tower is impenetrable.”

“Wait a minute.” Kenny snapped, stabbing his knife into the wooden table and standing up suddenly. He sniffed the air, and Levi began to get a sinking feeling in his stomach. “I smell a rat. A _short_ rat.”

At that, Levi jerked his head back from where he’d still been looking around the pillar, scrambling completely back into the shaft. He was still cloaked, but he had no doubt that Kenny would be able to see through it, and he nearly cursed under his breath again when he heard footsteps that were surely his approaching. Levi was already crawling backwards as fast as he could to escape when he heard him growl ‘Yo, midget,’ and the sounds of him stabbing a dagger into the wall to start climbing up after him.

_Fuck!_ Levi thought, shimmying backwards faster, grinding his teeth when the sleeve of his leather tunic got caught on something and slowed him down.

Kenny wouldn’t be able to fit inside the shaft to come after him, but if he climbed all the way up before he could escape, he would definitely see him and Levi would be fucked for sure. Not that he wasn’t already basically caught, though. They knew Erwin was in the town and up to something, and they knew Levi was helping him. Now that Kenny had sensed him, it wouldn’t be hard for them to put two and two together and to figure out that he’d sent Levi to spy on them.

Regardless, he had to get out of there. He had to get back to the inn and find Erwin as quickly as possible so he could tell him everything he’d just seen and heard.

Nothing was more important than that right now, but the sounds of Kenny’s climbing were growing louder as he made it to the exit, and as his foot scraped against rough stone to dangle over the opening’s edge.

It reminded him of how fucking high he was, and that he had no plan of how to escape from this place. Once he’d reached the council chambers he’d assumed he wouldn’t be caught, and just figured he’d worried about how to get out later. He certainly hadn’t thought he’d be chased out in a hurry like this.

He couldn’t go back into the tower anywhere though, that was for sure, not with them likely on high alert after realizing someone had been spying on them. He had no time to think of anything else because Kenny was close, and with nowhere else to go, he pushed himself outside and over the edge of the duct to hang there, just as he saw Kenny’s fingers appear at the other end of the shaft.

Levi’s jaw clenched when he looked down, a stream of curses going through his mind. His fingers dug into the rough stone and the wind whipped through his hair, howling in his ears, and his boots scraped loudly against the side of the tower. Over all of it he could hear Kenny chuckling, and he knew the bastard could still see his hands hanging there even if he couldn’t glimpse his face.

Suddenly, his ears picked up another sound, a strange whistling that was so low a human wouldn’t have been able to hear. He only had to hear it for a split second to know what it was, and his eyes widened just as his instincts told him to jerk his right hand away. Immediately, a throwing knife hit the spot where his fingers had just been, glancing off the edge and into the air, disappearing into a tiny speck as it tumbled down below.

Now Levi was hanging by one hand, and he knew with absolute certainty that Kenny was going to throw another dagger. He was trying to get him to fall, to kill him because he knew he had nowhere else to go. Suddenly, though, Levi had an idea.

It was dangerous and possibly stupid, but at this point he didn’t seem to have any other options. All he knew was that if it worked, it would get him out of here quickly, and right now that was all he cared about.

“Oi, Levi!” Kenny was yelling at him, apparently deciding that he’d rather talk shit for now instead of throw another knife at him. “After everything I taught you, you’re gonna pay me back by taking the side of some stuffy assed paladin? I could’ve warned you that it was going to end with your insides splattered all over the ground, but-”

Levi didn’t hear the rest of what Kenny said, because he’d reached up to grasp the edge of the ventilation shaft again with his hands, planting both his feet against the side of the tower firmly. He was still talking but Levi blocked him out, looking over his shoulder after positioning himself, sending a silent prayer to the elven gods he didn’t actually believe in that he wouldn’t end up in pieces on the ground like Kenny had said.

Then, with a deep breath and a great leap, Levi let go of the tower, pushing off with his feet and flinging himself into the air.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I suppose this is where I should say that although this story isn't complete, I started it ~March of 2014 and am continuing to write it while I update periodically. So, this chapter was actually written before we really knew anything about Kenny or the Reiss family in the manga. Originally Kenny was going to be a villain because he gave me a bad vibe but now I'm not so sure ;) 
> 
> Anyway, as I edit and post, I'm trying to update the AU here and there with things that will hopefully parallel the manga with what we know now, and I guess what I'm saying is I'm just hoping that it all works out. As always, thank you for reading and P.S. Erwin will be back next chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Long time no see, shorty." Kenny said, putting all of his weight into pushing his daggers down against Levi's. "You ruined my kill. That goes against the rogue's code."
> 
> Levi grimaced, digging his feet into the ground and holding his arms up, his muscles straining as he held him back.
> 
> "Fuck off. He was my kill first, you ugly piece of shit." He snarled, a flash of anger erupting inside him at the thought of what Kenny had been about to do to Erwin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone who is still reading this story! I know updates are slow, but I'm determined to finish it no matter how long it takes...

Immediately, Levi began plummeting to the ground after he’d let go, faster than even he had anticipated. The wind was rushing around him, whipping his cloak and making his eyes water, and he was already halfway to the ground by the time he reached behind him to jerk the grappling hook off the back of his belt.

That was his plan: to use it to get down the tower and out of there as fast as possible, hopefully without killing himself. He’d spotted a row of statues protruding from around it while he’d been hanging - gargoyles or something - and thought, hoped, _prayed_ to anyone or anything that might be listening that he could use them to somehow slow his fall with the hook.

They were about one quarter away from the ground, and he only had seconds to line up his shot with one of them while he plummeted through the sky. As he pulled the trigger, all he could think about was that if it missed or if the statue wasn’t strong enough to hold his weight or handle his momentum, he was moments away from becoming a broken, bloody pile of bones on the platform.

Luckily, the grapple caught in the stone. His aim had been true, but were the stone constructs stable? The moment between his hook latching and the device’s chain reaching its full length was heartstopping, as if falling at high speeds through the air wasn’t enough, and he grit his teeth when it suddenly went taut and he was jerked in a different direction entirely.

Now he was swinging, twisting his body so that he was flying in a long, wide arc underneath the statue. The shift was so fast that his stomach lurched, and he was gripping the handle of the grappling hook so tightly that his knuckles were surely white. He kicked his legs up into the air as best he could for more speed and swung up past the gargoyle and then over it, tilting his head once he was upside down so he could see.

He only had a split second to react here too - perhaps this time with an even smaller margin of error. Right before he was above the statue he let go, flipping himself over so that he was falling again until he landed on top of the small platform. He’d misjudged it only a little, but it was enough so that when his feet touched the stone one of them nearly slipped off. He had to scramble to find his balance, throwing himself down onto his front and wrapping his arms around the thing so he wouldn’t fall.

“Holy shit.” He gasped, barely believing that he was still alive. He’d used one of these before, sure, but never like this, and never in an intense, death defying escape attempt. His heart was pounding rapidly with adrenaline, beating so loudly that it sounded deafening in his ears. “Motherfucker-”

He didn’t have much time to contemplate, though, because he still was a long way from safety. Readjusting and reaching out with an arm he grabbed the grappling hook’s chain, jerking it out of the stone and reeling it back in as he stood up and looked around.

Unfortunately, this was where his plan ended. All he’d been concerned about was getting away from Kenny, and grappling his way onto this statue was the extent of the quick escape he’d come up with. Where the fuck was he going to go from here? He was still quite high so it wasn’t like he could just jump, and even if he could somehow lower himself or climb or rappel down, he still had the guards on the platform to worry about. They were all likely on high alert now, and he was far too rushed to be able to concentrate on cloaking himself, much less avoiding the guard’s detection abilities.

Once he was on the platform he was going to have to run and possibly fight, he knew, but first he had to figure out how to get down there without dying.

Thankfully, though, after looking this way and that, he spotted a balcony below him that looked like it was at just the right height on the tower to be used as a sort of stepping stone between where he was now and the ground. Without hesitation, he aimed the grapple at it’s railing and fired, diving off the statue, swinging through the air again, and releasing the hook once the chain had extended as far as it would go.

He nearly cursed as he fell toward the ground because it seemed he’d underestimated his height a little, but despite the way his gut nearly leapt up into his throat he was able to tuck and roll to avoid any serious damage. It seemed he’d been spotted by the guards by now, though, because he heard them shouting suddenly after he’d jumped. One was running towards him as he landed - a foolish decision on his part because Levi barreled right into him hard enough to knock him over - and as he got up he could see more of them approaching.

“Bastards.” Levi muttered to himself, stumbling to his feet as fast as he could and sprinting towards the edge of the platform.

Somehow, it seemed like they’d multiplied at least two times from earlier that day, and he found himself dodging them left and right as he ran. He was fast, but there were just so many of the shitheads, and stopping to fight would just slow him down even more and allow the rest of them to catch up.

Fortunately, the only thing they were good for was seeing through stealth, apparently, because none of them seemed to have any other magical abilities. They weren’t throwing spells at him and they didn’t know how to use their fucking weapons either, and all they did when he got close was try to tackle him or hit him with their shields. It was stupid, and he managed to dodge all of them but one who was waiting for him in front of the fence at the edge of the platform.

Levi could see his face and honestly thought he looked a little scared, so on impulse he jerked one of his daggers from its sheath as he ran and aimed it at the guard. Whatever strange hunch Levi had about him was right; when he saw a pointy weapon aimed at him and approaching at high speeds, the guy practically dove down onto the ground in a heap to cover his head.

If his circumstances were different Levi might have found it amusing, but this time he just kept running - right over the man and onto his back, stepping on it so that he could jump off of him towards the fence. He put his dagger up in time and grabbed ahold of the railing, somehow managing to scale it with one hand because he was still holding his grappling hook in the other.

He could hear many pairs of feet behind him coming from the swiftly approaching guards, and as he reached the top of the fence and climbed over it, all he could do was leap off. Otherwise, they would have had him.

Now he was falling for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, and he had even less time to react than before. Aiming his grapple at the first thing he saw, he fired it, nearly biting his lip bloody when the bricks of the chimney it caught into splintered. Somehow the hook stayed though and he was swinging again, coming so close to the ground this time that he had to raise his knees into the air so his feet wouldn’t hit. When he arced up, it seemed his luck had finally run out, because the only thing in front of him was the long, flat roof of another building.

It was more like a terrace, really, but regardless there was nowhere else for him to go. It was high but he had no choice; he had to release his hook. He braced himself when he did, trying to tuck himself into a ball so he could land in a roll like he had before, but this time his momentum was just too strong.

He didn’t have time to adjust his body properly like he had when he’d leapt off the tower balcony, and when he hit the ground he landed hard enough for the impact to knock the breath out of him violently. His upper back and shoulders took the full force of it, and later Levi would think that he was lucky he hadn’t broken his fucking neck.

Now though, all he could focus on was trying to correct his out of control landing, but it was almost impossible after the jarring impact he’d just suffered. He tumbled along the ground uncontrollably, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to his feet as soon as he was able to regain some semblance of balance and right his flailing limbs.

That was when he felt something in his ankle snap, and he fell to his knees again just as quickly as he’d managed to stand up. He gasped for breath and cringed, and tried to decide what hurt worse at that moment: his back where he’d landed, or his leg. He cursed and grabbed at it and clenched his jaw while he dealt with the initial, intense pain, and suddenly through all of it, he realized he was not alone on the terrace.

There were people there - rich men and women dressed in robes underneath a gazebo a few yards away. They were all staring at him and the women were screaming, and a servant had dropped a tray of food at the shock of seeing him fall out of the sky.

“Fuck!” He cursed again, jerking his hood down over his head and stumbling up and onto his feet.

Pains shot through his leg, but he couldn’t stay there. He had to keep moving. He was away from the tower, but that didn’t mean he was safe. He still had to get to the inn and back to Erwin, before anyone in the tower hunted him down or started looking for any of them. He didn’t think it would take long, and although every nerve and muscle in his body was screaming at him to stop, he had to go

So he ran, adrenaline still pumping through his body and luckily already working to numb the pain he felt, and leapt off the edge of the terrace. He used the grappling hook one more time to rappel down the wall because he didn’t trust himself to climb, and fell onto his ass when he reached the bottom of it when his leg buckled underneath him. He got up and then stumbled, upsetting an entire cart of apples that was next to him in the process, and ignored the large, angrily spluttering and yelling merchant.

He ignored everyone else, too, sprinting through the streets and alleyways as fast as he could until he got closer to the inn. He stopped somewhere to catch his breath for just a few seconds before he reached it, leaning against a wall and wiping the sweat from his eyes a few moments later.

He was just blocks away now, but he realized he was bringing a lot of attention to himself by running like this. The streets were much more crowded now than they had been that morning, and he decided that it would probably be best to sneak the rest of the way so that absolutely no one would be able to remember seeing him go in there.

With that thought, he cloaked himself, but still crept as fast as he could manage because the urgency he felt to get back to Erwin was becoming overwhelming. He felt like he was being chased, and he probably was, but the thought that he could be found at any moment by a guard was almost making him panic, because if he did, he knew it would ruin everything.

Suddenly, he realized he’d done exactly what he hadn’t wanted to do. He hadn’t gotten captured, but he’d been caught, and now the entire group was going to be in danger. After this, he didn’t see how they were going to be able to stay in the city, either. Had he fucked up Erwin’s entire plan? Were they even going to be able to go to the library like Hanji needed to?

That was the entire reason they’d come here in the first place, but he had to force the whirlwind of thoughts from his mind because he was finally back at the inn. When he reached it he uncloaked himself, flinging open the door much harder than he probably should have.

Immediately, though, he caught sight of Erwin, because he’d stood up with a loud scrape of his chair as Levi strode through the door and stopped. It was uncharacteristic of him, Levi thought, and sudden enough so that between that and Levi’s dramatic entrance, several people in the tavern paused what they were doing to look curiously between the two of them.

After a moment Erwin seemed to realize what he’d done, and sat back down again slowly while Levi glanced around at the people staring at them. Then he locked gazes with Erwin, unable to control how wide his eyes were, and swallowed in an attempt to calm himself before he moved to weave his way through the tavern toward Erwin’s table.

He was sitting with Hanji, Moblit, and Mike, Levi saw as he got closer, and an old, wrinkly and baldheaded orc with a handlebar mustache. There was another person too, a small, slight orc woman with brown hair sitting next to him. The newcomers made Levi nervous - who the fuck were these people? What if they were spies for the council, or people who had come to arrest them? - and as he approached, his fists clenched at his sides when they all looked at him curiously.

He had expected Erwin to maybe move if they were friendly, to take him somewhere else so they could speak in private, but he didn’t, and Levi remained unsure while he looked around the table until Erwin cleared his throat and spoke.

“Ah, it’s alright, Levi.” Erwin said, realizing. Levi didn’t miss the way his eyes glanced over him as if he was making sure he was alright, or just the slightest softening of his expression into relief when he presumably saw that he wasn’t seriously injured. “This is Pixis, and his apprentice Anka. I told Hanji and Mike where you were. Hanji has cast a sound spell over our table so that no one can overhear us talking. Have a seat. What happened?”

Erwin had obviously picked up on his nervous state from the careful way he was speaking to him, and as he sat down he immediately jerked his hood down off his head. He still felt like he was rushing, as if time was of the essence, and it felt a little ridiculous that Erwin was asking him to sit down and have a calm chat after he’d just escaped a heavily guarded tower full of maniacs, survived grappling through the air at high speed, and sprinted through half the city so fast that he’d nearly gotten run over by a horse at least three times.

“You were right.” He started, swallowing thickly. “Those bastards are behind everything - everyone is in on it. I heard them talking about mind control, and dark iron, and weird rituals. But they caught me, and they know you’re here, Erwin. They -”

“You were seen?” Erwin asked, his expression sharp.

Levi bit his lip and shook his head quickly, trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. He’d seen so much, overheard so much that it was a struggle to try to figure out where to even begin explaining.

“No, not up close, but the rogue’s guild is in on it, and the paladin’s order too. They had you investigated to try to stop you from finding too much out, but it didn’t work and now they just want you killed. The master rogue, he’s the one that told them to hire me. He knew I was there somehow, and I had to jump out of the fucking tower. They know I’m helping you, Erwin. They’re going to come after us.”

“Are you absolutely certain about all of this?”

“Yes.” He said, speaking slower and grimacing.

Now that his adrenaline was slowly starting to wear off, his ankle hurt again, and sharp stabs of pain had begun to radiate up his leg. His back was bruised too from where he had landed, and now it felt like he’d torn a muscle or something in his shoulder. None of that included the many scrapes and cuts he’d incurred from tumbling along on the ground, and he could barely move at all without feeling a flash of pain from somewhere in his body. He clenched his fists in his lap though, willing himself to ignore it and to keep the ache off his face.

“I saw all of them. The paladin leader - Zacklay - he had you investigated under their orders. They wanted him to just execute you, or take away your magic or whatever, but he wouldn’t do it so they must have hired Ackerman - Kenny. He’s the leader of the rogue’s guild, and they talked about sending the monsters after you, and that fucking lich. They know you’re in the city. They know you were meeting with him, too.”

Levi nodded at Pixis, who so far had remained quiet, and he remembered what they had said about the orc’s previous status as a council member. Did he know more than he was letting on? Why had he gotten kicked off?

“They mentioned mind control rituals, and I think they’re doing experiments. I saw their creepy laboratory, or something, there was a titan head in a jar. They know you’re digging around, and they're afraid of you finding something in the mountains, some orb or something. They sounded like they're getting more desperate.”

Erwin stayed silent for a moment, an expression on his face that Levi knew by now meant he was thinking.

“Alright. And you’re sure that this rogue master - Ackerman - knew it was you?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Levi said, thinking about how Kenny had referred to him as a little shit, both when he’d sensed him and before, when he was talking about hiring him. They were familiar enough with each other that even though Kenny hadn’t seen his face, there was no doubt in Levi’s mind that he’d known it was him. “The guards saw me escaping too, so even if he didn’t it wouldn’t be hard for them to figure it out since they’re keeping tabs on you and they know I’m still in your group. But now they know for sure, and I don’t think we can stay here, Erwin, they’re going to do something.”

“I agree that it's probably best we leave, but not until we go to the library.”

“Do we still need to do that?” Mike said suddenly, speaking up. “Don’t we have enough information just from what Levi told us?”

“Yes. Because if there’s information in there about how to perform mind control, then I want to know if there’s information about how to break it. Round everyone up while we’re gone, Mike. Make sure they’re ready to leave by the time we get back, and be careful. Pixis, you’re still willing to take us after hearing all of this, right?”

“Oh, yes.” Pixis said with a smile, chuckling like he found this entire situation amusing. “If we go back into the alley like we discussed, I’d be happy to teleport you.”

“Do you think they’ll act?” Erwin asked.

“I don’t think they’ll want to cause a scene, but yes. You’ve created quite a ruckus for them. I imagine that they’ll be sending guards around to search for your elf friend here, and if they’re getting as desperate as he says, then I suspect that they might use this as an excuse to arrest you as well. They can now assume that you know everything he overheard while spying on them, after all. Either way, we should probably get to it so we can get you out of the city."

“Wait." Levi said, remembering the scroll he’d stolen.  He pulled it out of the back of his pants and pressed it onto the table. “I found this.”

“Oh! Look at that, it’s exactly like from the book!” Hanji exclaimed, taking the paper from his hands to inspect it, holding it out in front of her and gaping at it. “It _is_ a necromancy ritual, which is what I suspected. Erwin, our theories…they were all correct. Like you said, we were right!"

"Yes, unfortunately." Erwin said. Hanji’s speech had trailed off at the end, her tone sounding awed and quiet like it was just sinking in, but Erwin only looked solemn. Levi understood why. Finding out that you had been correct about mind control was one thing, but finding out that it was because of a conspiracy within a group of people that were supposed to protect you was something else entirely. "Let's go."

With that, Pixis stood up and made for the back door, his long robes dragging behind him. Levi saw him pull what looked like a flask out of his belt and take a long drink as they got up as well, and he shot Erwin a questioning look before they left the table.

Hanji, Moblit, and Anka followed Pixis, exiting the tavern ahead of Levi. Erwin was behind him while they walked, and just as they stepped outside he grabbed his arm, halting him immediately and spinning him around.

“Wait, Levi. Are you alright?” He asked quietly, eyes raking over him. “What’s wrong with your leg?”

Levi ground his teeth. He had tried not to limp, tried to walk normally and not show any sign of the pain he was feeling, but he must not have been as subtle as he thought. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. We don’t have time.”

“You’re bleeding.” Erwin said, reaching up to wipe at some half-dried blood on the side of his face. Only then was Levi aware of a stinging sensation on his temple that he must have gotten when he landed - who even knew anymore - the pain from that completely unnoticeable to how bad his leg, back, and shoulder fucking hurt now. No wonder the people in this tavern had been staring at him strangely though, if his face had been covered in blood. “I’ll take care of it later.”

“Whatever, it's fine.” Levi said perhaps a little too tensely, turning to stagger outside.

He wasn’t worried about that, not at all, not right now. He just wanted to get this over with, to get what they needed in the library so they could get out of the city. Only then did he feel like he could relax and lower his guard, and be sure that nothing was going to happen. It was his fault they were having to leave now, after all, since he’d fucked up and gotten caught, and he couldn’t bear to think about what would happen if Erwin was arrested because of him.

Pixis had already opened a portal when they stepped outside in the empty alley behind a large stack of crates. He couldn't see it, but he could see the strange light coming from it, and suddenly he felt uneasy. He'd never used a portal before - not many people were capable of casting them, so traveling like this was usually extremely expensive.

Hanji and the others had apparently already gone through it though, and Pixis was standing outside the stack of crates ushering them over with one hand, the other tucked behind his back. When Levi rounded the corner and caught sight of it, he stopped so suddenly that Erwin nearly ran into him.

Well, if he had any doubt that Pixis wasn't sending them to a library, it was gone now. The portal was clear and looked like a swirling round tear in space, an image of a room with rows of bookshelves and scrolls on the other side. He didn't see Hanji or anyone else though. They _had_ gone through, right? What if this thing actually sent them somewhere else? What would it feel like?

"Levi, it's alright. Go." He heard Erwin say from behind him, his hand suddenly on his shoulder.

He flinched, the touch heavy enough to cause pain to lance across his back, but it steadied his thoughts enough for him to walk forward. If Erwin thought it was alright and trusted Pixis, then there was no reason for him not to do the same.

Erwin followed right behind him, keeping his hand on his shoulder the entire time and not taking it off until they were safely on the other side. Turns out, taking a portal was just like walking through a door - one second he was in the alley, and the next he was in the library - the vaguest tingling sensation running through his limbs as he stepped through from the magic.

Pixis had teleported them right into the forbidden section, it seemed, because when Levi looked to his right he saw a huge locked door, complete with chains criss-crossing over it. It was dark inside with no candles even lit, and Levi could see thick dust floating in the air through what sunlight streamed in from the high windows. To his left were rows and rows of bookshelves, disappearing as far as he could see into the darkness, tomes and scrolls stuff haphazardly inside them. Now that he was through he could see Anka standing beside a shelf, but there was no sign of Hanji or Moblit.

“Where is Hanji?” Erwin asked, reading Levi’s thoughts just as Pixis stepped through and the portal closed behind him.

“She ran off. Moblit chased her.” Anka said, looking exasperated.

“Hanji!” Erwin called, taking the lead and looking around between the shelves.

There was no answer, but then Levi heard a faint mumbling and giggling that was unmistakable.

“Hanji.” Erwin said again, when they found her at the end of a shelf, crouched down and rifling through scrolls.

Moblit was standing behind her, one hand under her arm like he’d been trying to pull her up onto her feet.

“Look at this, Erwin! There’s scrolls here on every kind of creature in the region. This entire section is just on harpies!”

“Master Hanji, please, we have to find -” Moblit started, only to be interrupted by Levi.

“Hey, four-eyes, you’re getting distracted.” He snapped, moving past Erwin to jerk the scroll she was holding out of her hand.

It appeared to just be a sketch of three harpies ripping apart some kind of animal with their talons, and he grimaced, rolling it up quickly and shoving it into the nearest shelf. This place made him more uneasy than he already was - the quietness of it and the stale air reminding him of the room in the tower where he’d seen that corpse. He still felt like they could get caught at any moment, like every guard in the city was bearing down on their backs waiting for them to fuck up. Every second longer that they took, that they remained here, he grew more and more anxious, and wasting time dawdling around like this wasn’t helping.

“We don’t have much time to waste, Hanji.” Erwin said. “Focus on what we came here for. Levi, stay here and keep watch on the door just in case, okay?”

“Yeah, okay, Erwin.”

Levi watched Hanji get up, a barely contained look of excitement still on her face despite how he’d snapped at her, and head off deeper into the bookshelves with Erwin and the others. He turned around to lean against a shelf himself, crossing his arms, but then winced when a sharp pain lanced through his shoulder.

Pressing his back against it hurt too, so he stood up straight and made sure to keep his weight off of his hurt ankle. That was the only way he could stand that was somewhat comfortable, and he uncrossed his arms to place his hands on his daggers. Only then did he realize that Pixis had not gone with the rest, and was standing to his left watching him curiously.

He cursed under his breath, irritated with himself for not sensing him there even though he knew it was because of the pain he was in and the tension he was feeling. It was distracting him, and not realizing he wasn’t alone was one thing, but what if someone busted in here? He was in no condition to fight right now, and even though he would try no matter what, he didn’t think he would be much help to Erwin with his damn injuries.

“Are you alright, son?” Pixis asked him, and Levi eyed him from the side. “You seem like you’re in pain.”

“I’m fine.” Levi said through gritted teeth, really not in the mood for conversation.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Pixis move and take something out of his robes. It was the flask from before, and he unscrewed the lid and took a huge sip before shaking the liquid inside and extending it out towards Levi.

“This will take the edge off."

“You’re crazy, old man. Drinking while we’re in here like this is a stupid idea.” Levi said, rolling his shoulder.

It hurt, and so did his ankle and his cuts and bruises, and even his temple where he'd been bleeding from was throbbing now.

"Suit yourself."

Pixis took another drink and smiled wryly at him, like he thought he was about to change his mind. Levi looked the other way, staring mindlessly up at a window and listening closely for any strange sounds. They stood together in silence for a few minutes until Levi heard scuffling. It startled him and he reacted instantly, unsheathing both his daggers and spinning around without thinking, only to see that it was just a mouse.

It skittered from behind a shelf right in between him and Pixis, and he only looked at it for a second before he was grimacing at the pain that had shot up his entire leg from the sudden twisting movement. He struggled to suppress a grunt it hurt so bad, and he squeezed his daggers tightly in an effort to fight the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake him.

_Fuck_ , he had to have broken something in his ankle if the level of pain was anything to go by. Not that all of this moving around was helping any, but he felt clammy all of a sudden, a thin layer of sweat standing out over his skin while he ground his teeth and shifted all of his weight back off of his shaking leg. Pixis just stared at him almost in amusement, raising an eyebrow while he took another sip from his flask. He held it out to Levi again, this time a silent offer, and he stared at it a moment before he sheathed his daggers and snatched it.

One drink wouldn't hurt. Maybe if it actually helped with the pain like this orc said, then he would be able to fight if something happened. That's what he told himself, anyway, as he took a large sip. He grimaced at the sudden burn in his throat - for fuck's sake, whatever this old man was drinking was the strongest liquor he'd ever tasted. He forced himself to swallow another large mouthful, barely managing not to splutter, and handed it back to him.

"Give it a few minutes." Pixis said, shoving it back into his robes.

Levi just nodded, a little too overwhelmed to say anything else, and turned his body back into its former position. Indeed, after a few minutes he began to feel the familiar effects of alcohol, the slightest warmth spreading throughout his body and taking the edge off of his pain like Pixis had said. It still hurt, of course, but now he could move without it being nearly unbearable, and he side-eyed the orc again before nodding.

"Thanks." He said quietly, crossing his arms.

"Any time." Pixis answered, still giving him that strange, bemused look. "So, what made you decide not to kill our paladin friend over there?"

Levi's eyes widened at the sudden unexpected question, a deep, suspicious frown immediately crossing his face.

"What makes you think that's any of your business?"

"I'm just curious." Pixis said with a shrug. "I knew his father, so I’ve known him since he was a boy. He always seems to make more enemies than friends, I'm afraid, so it's nice to see that he managed to dissuade you from killing him _and_ get you to stick around."

That piqued Levi's interest despite himself, and he couldn’t help but turn his head to face Pixis to see if he was going to say more.

"Oh, that got you, did it? I see." Pixis said, bringing a hand up to twist his mustache, and Levi immediately bristled again.  

"What? See what? What the hell are you talking about?" He snapped, scowling at him.

"Nothing, nothing. He spoke highly of your abilities, you know. I was doubtful that you’d even make it inside the tower myself, but I’m glad to have been proven wrong.”

Levi stared, trying not to look as bewildered as he felt by this old man. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. He was odd, that was obvious, but now that Levi had spoken to him, he seemed harmless enough.

"What the hell is your point?" Levi said, thrown off by the backwards compliment and unsure of what Pixis meant.

"It's good to have someone with your skills helping us with this, that's all. It's terrible what they're doing, so many have suffered..."

"Yeah, well, I'm just helping Erwin."

Pixis laughed loudly at that, and Levi, who had looked away again, jerked his head back to glare at him. Was he drunk? He didn't seem like it, even though Levi had seen him drink a lot more of that strong stuff than he had. Before he could say anything, though, he heard movement behind him, and he turned to see Erwin and the others returning from their search.

Erwin had an armful of scrolls tucked under one arm, but it was nothing compared to what the others had. Hanji had her arms wrapped around so many of them she could barely contain them, and the dozens stuffed into her belt too was almost comical. She'd shoved them in her robes also, Levi noticed, because he could see them peeking out the back of it underneath her neck. Behind her, Moblit and Anka were each carrying a stack of books so tall they could barely see over it, and they too had scrolls stuffed into their belts and robes. When Pixis caught sight of them he whistled, and clasped his hands behind his back.

"My, that's quite a haul. I take it you found what you were looking for?"

"Yes, but I decided to just take anything that seemed relevant. We need to head back." Erwin said, glancing at Levi before he continued to the front of the room.

"Very well."

At that, Pixis followed to open the portal and they went through quickly, stepping back out into the alley exactly where they'd left from. When Levi rounded the corner of crates, he saw Mike and the others waiting with their remaining carts and horses.

“Is everything ready?” Erwin said, approaching him.

While they talked, Levi looked around, the uneasiness from before still making him feel agitated. Hanji, Moblit, and Anka were loading their books and scrolls into a cart, but everyone else was standing around except for him. He walked to the back of the group, ignoring the ache in his ankle, and looked to the end of the alley. Then he walked through everyone to the front and did the same thing.

It was strange, he thought, that it was completely empty. It was a big alley and this was a crowded city, and there were many other buildings lining it on both sides. Every other alley he’d been in running back here and when he’d been stalking towards the tower had contained at least a few people, and sometimes even guards when he’d gotten close.

He supposed Pixis or someone could have casted some type of magical barrier or whatever - who knew what he or Anka could do. But even though no one else seemed worried, Levi could not shake the inkling he had that something was about to go wrong. He’d been feeling this way since he’d left the tower, but it was worse now, and he couldn’t stop pacing, glancing back and forth between both ends of the alley like he expected someone to appear there and come after them at any moment.

“I’ll meet you in Shiganshina as we discussed before. That’s still the plan, correct?” Pixis was saying to Erwin, now that he was done speaking with Mike.

“Yes, I’ll get more details from him later, but just from what Levi has already told us it sounds like they’re hiding something in the mountains. I don’t believe Karanes is their actual base of operations.”

“I agree. When I was still on the council, it was obvious they were funneling money and resources up north and trying to cover something up. I wasn’t privy to what it was since I was just a minor member, but I think it was for some type of structure there. I saw the plans once, but they were incomplete. That was the last thing I found out before I was kicked off. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”

“I understand. You’ve helped plenty, thank you. And you too, Anka.” Erwin shook hands with Anka and then Pixis, who smiled warmly at him and turned to start opening the portal.

“Anka, please go back inside and begin preparations for us to leave. Erwin, I’ll dump you out as far away from here as I can towards Shiganshina. It won’t be much of a distance, but it will be far enough for you to get a decent start ahead of anyone who decides to pursue you. It could be days before they realize you’ve left the city, anyway. Luckily for you, Karanes is a large place.”

“It should be enough, thanks again.”

After that, Pixis murmured the spell and a portal opened up. This one seemed to let out in another forest, because all Levi saw was trees on the other side. With a wave of Erwin’s hand, the group started to go through. He was obviously letting everyone go first, but Levi made no move to step forward either. Instead, he kept a wary eye out while Hanji, Mike, and the others disappeared, his anxiousness starting to lessen with each person that passed through.

Could it be that they were actually going to make it out of here without anything happening? Levi had not thought it possible, but everyone was almost gone, and within a few minutes it was just him and Erwin left.

“After you.” Erwin said to him, gesturing towards the portal as simply as if he was holding a door open for Levi. “I’ll be right behind you. I promise."

Levi looked at him, wondering if he was picking up on some of his tension from his quiet words. He wished Erwin would go first, just so he could see him safely leave this damned city. But he supposed this was a point he couldn't argue, at least not in front of Pixis. The sorcerer was still standing behind the portal, looking away from them pointedly like he expected them to kiss or something.

"You’d better be."  Levi said with a roll of his eyes, crossing his arms and giving Erwin a look that he hoped showed that he meant what he said despite his teasing words.

Erwin was in front of the portal, yards in front of him, and Levi started to walked forward. Just as he took a few steps though he stopped, his brows furrowing and the hair on the back of his neck suddenly standing on end.

Something wasn't right, not at all. It was strangely quiet all of a sudden, the noises from inside the nearby tavern and sounds of the city completely gone where they'd been loud before. He gripped both of his daggers out of instinct, his eyes searching and ears straining to listen for anything weird.

Just as Erwin was opening his mouth to ask him what he was doing, he glimpsed it.

Or rather, he glimpsed _him_ , creeping up behind Erwin and cloaked in shadow, completely invisible except for the split second that Levi saw him. It was Kenny - the brief flash of dark leather and glinting daggers and the stupid fucking hat he always wore leaving no doubt in his mind as to who it was. He was close, almost upon Erwin, and Levi knew what he was here to do. He reacted without a second thought, pulling his daggers from his belt and launching himself forward.

"Erwin!" He shouted, watching as his eyes widened in confusion and surprise.

Kenny had disappeared again, but Levi knew he was within one or two steps away, and as he rushed forward he saw him again, the stealth around him fading as he raised a dagger behind Erwin. Levi cursed, slamming into Erwin with his shoulder at just the last moment, knocking him away and raising his weapons in a cross to block Kenny’s downward slash.

The force of Kenny’s blow hitting his daggers seemed to vibrate through them and right up his arm, causing him to wince and grit his teeth at the pain from his injured shoulder. He willed himself to ignore it though, bracing himself as Erwin went stumbling backwards from the force of Levi barreling into him.

Unable to stop himself, he fell into the portal, which was exactly what Levi had wanted. He looked over at him as he did so and their eyes met, the expression on Erwin’s face one of alarm. It was the last thing he saw as he disappeared, and when Kenny growled above him Levi tore his eyes away.

"Long time no see, shorty." Kenny said, putting all of his weight into pushing his daggers down against Levi's. "You ruined my kill. That goes against the rogue's code."

Levi grimaced, digging his feet into the ground and holding his arms up, his muscles straining as he held him back.

"Fuck off. He was my kill first, you ugly piece of shit." He snarled, a flash of anger erupting inside him at the thought of what Kenny had been about to do to Erwin.

It gave him the strength he needed to push him away, grunting and shoving him back with every ounce of force he could muster.

Kenny stumbled back a step but reacted quickly, moving to slash at him again. Levi blocked it, and the next strike and the next, forced to take step after step back from the other rogue's sudden and quick onslaught. His injuries were slowing him down, limiting what he could do and affecting his reaction time so that he was unable to do anything but defend himself.

He was afraid he would falter if he put too much pressure on his ankle or shoulder to attack, and he was all too aware that one mistake here would probably cost him his life. He was in no condition to fight anyone right now, especially not someone like Kenny, and he didn’t think he could keep up with him like this for much longer. If he could just knock him down for a moment, or far enough away for him to make a break for the portal, he could escape to safety on the other side.

Sparing a glance behind him as he was forced another step back, he saw that he was nearing the wall of the alley. He would have to do something before then or Kenny would have him, so instead of blocking his next swipe Levi dodged. He was quick enough that it missed him, but just barely -  the blade came so close to the top of his head that he was sure it cut off some of his hairs. He felt the whoosh of it as he moved, but Kenny reacted quickly and slashed at him again. This one he wasn’t fast enough to avoid, and the tip of Kenny’s dagger sliced across his cheek sharply.

His head jerked to the side and he swore, but luckily for him he’d still moved out of the way enough for Kenny to nearly pitch forward from the unhalted momentum of his attack. Here, Levi’s tiny stature was helpful, as Kenny was taller than him and had to angle his swings downward so much that when he missed, he almost stumbled, and Levi took advantage of his momentary surprise by planting his hand on the ground and using his uninjured leg to sweep both of Kenny’s out from underneath him.

As he fell to the side, Levi was already jumping up in an attempt to sprint away from him and towards the portal. As soon as he stood though Kenny grabbed his ankle - the injured one, of course - in an iron grip and wrenched him back down onto the ground with a thud.

“You aren’t going anywhere.” He said, his voice a rough growl. “I’ve come to kill you too, you know, you fucking rat.”

Levi had to suppress a shout of pain, an agonizing jolt of it reaching from his ankle all the way up through his thigh. His vision blurred and for a second he feared he was going to pass out, but he forced himself through it, gritting his teeth and turning over at the same time that Kenny was leaping onto him. He brought his daggers up again, catching the other rogue’s downward slash between them and knocking his weapon away. Levi could see his other dagger coming from the corner of his eye, and in the split second that he saw it knew he couldn’t block it. But just then, there was a flash of light, and Kenny was blasted off of him and onto his back several yards away.

It was some kind of stun, apparently, because he struggled but couldn’t move as if he was being held down by an invisible weight. When Levi turned around again he saw that it was Pixis who had casted the spell, standing in front of the portal now which was rapidly shrinking behind him without his magic to hold it open.

“Get to the portal, while you have a chance!” Pixis shouted at him, and he jumped up immediately, sprinting towards it as fast as he could, ignoring the pain in his leg and praying that he wouldn’t stumble.

He made it just in time, running through before he wouldn’t have been able to fit anymore. The first step he took on the other side his ankle gave out beneath him and he fell, only to feel another jarring jolt of pain from his shoulder when he caught himself on his hands. He collapsed on his uninjured side then, wincing at the bruise on his back, the deep ache from that melting into everything else and all of it adding up to make him feel like he’d just fallen from 100 stories again.

Levi had closed his eyes when he first fell, shoving his palm against his mouth and biting down on it to muffle his pained groan. After a second he heard someone drop down next to him, and when he opened his eyes he saw that it was Erwin, holding a hand out as if he’d been about to touch him. His blonde hair had fallen into his eyes and there was a smear of dirt on his cheek, presumably from landing on the ground after he’d fallen through the portal, and the way the sun was angled behind him made his glow seem so bright that Levi had to squint.

He looked so stupidly handsome that if Levi died right then, at least Erwin would be the last thing he saw. It was an absurd thought, but Levi was so lightheaded from pain and exertion that blackness was dancing along the edges of his vision. His entire body ached, and he felt sticky with sweat and dried blood and dirt. Still, he felt ludicrous doing something so simple as admiring him after what he’d just been through that he almost laughed.

Instead though, it turned into a cough, and Erwin’s eyes fixed on his face after looking him over to make sure he wasn’t anymore injured than he already was. He eyed the cut on Levi’s cheek, and only then did he realize that the whole side of his face and neck was wet with blood again.

“Levi, what happened, was that-”

“Fucking Ackerman.” Levi gasped, his breathing heavy. “I told you he was going to come after you. I knew it, that bastard, I-”

“Its alright, we’ve escaped now. Thank you for saving me. What happened, did you fight him?”

“Not for long, I tried, but-” Levi stopped himself, slamming a fist down onto the ground in frustration. If he hadn’t been hurt, he might have been able to defeat him. Instead, he’d just managed to escape, and now they were likely going to have to worry about Kenny coming after them again. “Pixis-”

“Pixis can take care of himself, don’t worry. He probably teleported away as soon as he closed the portal. You did good.”

Erwin had dropped his hands onto his knees, but Levi saw his fingers twitch, his eyes sweeping over Levi’s face and hair like he wanted to run his hand through it. Levi wished he would, wanting nothing more in that moment to close his eyes and feel Erwin’s hands in his hair or on his face, anything to distract him from how shitty he felt. But the others were around, watching them and looking at Levi to make sure he was alright, so Erwin just fixed him with a sympathetic look and spoke again.

“It will be just a little longer, alright?” He said, his voice soft. “Can you ride?”

Levi almost groaned again at the thought of riding a horse, but then nodded - there was no way he was going to ride in the cart. He understood, though. Healing him back from this state would take more than one brief spell, and even though they were out of immediate danger, Levi knew Erwin likely wanted to put as much distance between them and Karanes as possible.

Luckily, he at least had a few more moments to lie there, because Erwin had to figure out where exactly they were. Levi watched him dig through his maps and talk with Mike until the ache had dulled back enough for him to feel like he could stand without passing out, and got up to tuck his daggers away.

Nanaba had brought all their horses through the portal, and Levi managed to climb onto his somehow without causing himself too much extra pain. The ride itself was near tortuous though once they left, with Levi’s injuries making his entire body hurt all over. Whatever he had done to himself when he’d fallen from the tower’s platform had been bad enough, but all of the extra activity he’d done had made it that much worse.

His ankle positively throbbed, and he couldn’t feel his toes anymore. His entire back ached, and everytime he moved he felt a jarring, bone deep pain in his spine that almost made him hiss. His shoulder wasn’t much better, the muscle he’d likely torn smarting whenever he attempted to move his arm. All of his cuts and scrapes stung too, and he was exhausted, not even just physically from all of the fighting and running and sneaking around he’d done, but mentally too, everything he’d seen and heard and all of the horrible realizations making his mind feel numb.

While they rode, Erwin glanced back at him every so often to make sure he was alright, fixing him with that strange, sympathetic look that he’d worn before. He almost looked guilty, Levi thought, or sad, but it was hard to tell because he only saw it for a split second before Erwin turned away again. Whatever it was, Levi didn’t know, but every time Erwin looked at him he thought of how he’d almost touched him earlier.

That was all he wanted now, for them to reach their destination so they could be alone. He didn’t even care if he healed him or not, he just wanted the comfort that he’d gotten used to when he was near him, and even though it might be silly, he was too fucked up to care.

Unfortunately, it had started raining shortly after they’d left, a slow, wet drizzle that made Levi feel cold and even more miserable than he already felt. The rest of the group seemed to be in a gloomy mood as well, the realization that they’d been run out of Karanes finally sinking in. He understood why - they’d been meant to stay there a few days with good food, warm beds, and safety. Now they’d had to leave early, basically chased out and forced back into the dangerous, rainy wilderness.

Levi couldn’t help but feel guilty. It was his fault, after all. He’d fucked up at the very beginning, that guard he’d had to knock out being the reason they suspected someone had broken in. If only he had been more careful, gone slower and not gotten ahead of himself he might have gotten out of there without fucking Kenny noticing him. Now they knew what Erwin was aware of more than ever, and he was certain this meant that they’d all be in even more danger than they had been before.

These thoughts stayed with Levi until they reached their campsite - a small, long ago abandoned village that had obviously been the victim of a titan raid. It was far past dark, but as they rode in he could see that half of the buildings bore scars from fire, many of them completely burned down or half destroyed. Broken glass and abandoned carts littered the streets, and he even glimpsed a few sets of bones in the tall grass beside the houses. With the misty drizzle, the atmosphere was quiet and still, and the thought of what terrible things must have happened here gave Levi a chill.

When they reached the center of the village they stopped, and Levi struggled off of his horse to immediately sit down. He tried to lean against the remnants of an old merchant’s stall, but it hurt his back so he slumped over onto his side again. He felt feverish despite the cold rain, his skin hot and clammy underneath his clothes.

Erwin was talking to Mike, Hanji, and Moblit, he saw, and everyone else was busy getting ready for dinner, unloading the carts or unpacking their things for the night, but he had no desire to talk to anyone and was glad to be left alone at the edge of the group. By now, he had no energy left, and had likely used the last of it to get himself off of his horse.

With nothing for him to do except lie there and wait for Erwin to come heal him, he closed his eyes and tried to relax. He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he was aware of was a warm hand on his face and someone murmuring his name.

It was Erwin, of course, and once Levi stirred, once he cracked his eyes opened and blinked, his face came into focus and he knew that finally, after everything that had happened, his shitty day was about to be over.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Come here.” Erwin said before he could touch him though, sliding an arm around his shoulders no sooner than he’d even started moving.
> 
> All Levi wanted was a gentle touch, and he’d thought that was what Erwin had been about to give him. However, the next thing he knew Erwin was grabbing him, scooping him up and lifting him off the ground to hold him against his chest. He tucked one arm under his knees and wrapped the other around his back, and Levi's eyes flew open, a disgruntled look appearing on his face even as he grabbed at Erwin’s shoulder to steady himself out of instinct.
> 
> "What the hell are you doing?" He gasped, tensing up and squirming until it caused pain to shoot up his leg suddenly. It hurt and still needed healing, but Levi was stubborn, and hadn't been reaching for Erwin because he'd wanted him to pick him up. "I can walk."

“Levi.” Erwin murmured once again after Levi opened his eyes, lines of concern etched into his expression as he gazed down at him. “Everyone’s gone to sleep.”

While speaking he brushed his fingers across Levi’s cheek gently, the touch light and barely there, but enough to cause him to lean into it all the same. It was the comfort he’d been craving so much earlier, and even if it was minimal, when combined with Erwin’s warm voice and the sight of his eyes, it was more than enough to distract him from the ache that had come back to him almost immediately upon waking - at least for a moment, anyway. No sooner had he shifted to reach for Erwin’s arm than pain flowed through him again, a twisted grimace blossoming upon his face in response that he was unable to hold back. 

_ Fuck _ , he thought, he hurt everywhere, his entire body seemingly one huge, throbbing twinge that just so happened to be worse in certain places. He’d hoped that resting would have helped some, but unfortunately, it seemed to have just grown worse after it’d had time to settle into his bones. After taking a deep breath, he managed to move enough to wind his fingers around Erwin’s clothed bicep - he’d removed his armor, Levi noticed - and only then did he realize too that it had stopped raining and he was tucked underneath Erwin’s big, warm cloak. 

"You fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I thought it might be best to let you rest for a bit. It's getting late now, though." Erwin explained when he noticed Levi eyeing it, taking the hand he grabbed him with in his other before bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. "Drink this." 

Erwin placed a hand underneath Levi's head in an attempt to lift it himself, but Levi swatted it away, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to sit up on his elbows with a grunt. There was only so much babying he could take, and besides, he wasn't  _ that _ pathetic - he was still capable of moving even if it hurt like a motherfucker. Even so, though, he didn't have the strength to argue against the disapproving look that Erwin gave him in response to his attitude, and instead just shifted his gaze down to the small vial of sparkling red liquid that Erwin had pulled out of his pocket, watching as he tugged the cork out of it with his teeth before bringing it to Levi's lips. 

He wanted to reach out and take it for himself, to drink it like a fucking adult and not a weak child, but that would mean leaning all his weight on one elbow, and right then he wasn't sure if he'd even be able to hold himself up like that. Just shifting into this position had caused a wave of nausea and dizziness to nearly overtake him, so begrudgingly, he parted his lips when Erwin brought the vial up to his mouth, scowling just for good measure and swallowing the red liquid down when it suddenly flooded over his tongue. 

Then, he made a face because it burned his throat and was probably the most bitter thing he'd ever tasted, but at the same time, the ache in his limbs and the horrible throb in his ankle began to lessen, and a growing, comforting warmth settled inside his belly instead. 

“A healing potion.” Erwin said, explaining what he'd given Levi and tucking away the empty vial after he'd finished drinking. “Spiked, presumably, with mage whiskey.”

“Spiked?” Levi repeated incredulously, managing to sit up further now that he wasn't on the verge of passing out again. 

“Yes. Hanji made it, and she's notorious for adding an extra kick to anything she cooks up. Either way, it should help take the edge off.”

Levi made a face, but didn't say anything else. His only thought was that the booze would explain how the potion had burned his throat and nearly made him cough, because he was too busy feeling relieved at how much better he felt already to complain about it. He still hurt, of course, because it had only taken the intensity of it away as Erwin had said, but the pain was already much better than it had been before - or, at least, relieved enough so that he didn't wince or groan in near agony when lifting his hand to reach for Erwin again. 

“Come here.” Erwin said before he could touch him though, sliding an arm around his shoulders no sooner than he’d even started moving.

All Levi wanted was a gentle touch, and he’d thought that was what Erwin had been about to give him. However, the next thing he knew Erwin was grabbing him, scooping him up and lifting him off the ground to hold him against his chest. He tucked one arm under his knees and wrapped the other around his back, and Levi's eyes flew open, a disgruntled look appearing on his face even as he grabbed at Erwin’s shoulder to steady himself out of instinct. 

"What the hell are you doing?" He gasped, tensing up and squirming until it caused pain to shoot up his leg suddenly. It hurt and still needed healing, but Levi was stubborn, and hadn't been reaching for Erwin because he'd wanted him to pick him up. "I can walk."

"I'm sure you can, but I’d rather you didn’t. I want to take care of you, Levi, after what you did for us today. No one will see.” Erwin said, a heaviness appearing in his eyes that made Levi’s frown deepen.

Erwin bent before he could say anything though, pressing his lips to Levi’s temple softly before he started walking, and whatever further argument Levi might have had was immediately lost. He just sighed in defeat and relaxed against him, his ears burning in embarrassment when Erwin held him closer and tighter, cradling him to his chest like he was some precious thing. He wanted to bristle at being treated like he was breakable, but it was hard to stay stubborn when Erwin was giving him the comfort he’d secretly been craving all day, and when...well, when he felt like half his bones actually  _ were  _ broken anyway. He still felt like shit, but Erwin’s words about wanting to care for him had made him feel a fraction of a bit better just as much as the potion had, and after a moment he relented, curling his fingers into Erwin’s tunic and closing his eyes, soaking in his warmth and feeling like he could honestly fall back asleep like that if Erwin held him for long enough. 

He was still exhausted even after his nap, but he would not have time to get any more rest as it was apparently just a short walk to where they were going: a house on the edge of the village that Erwin must have claimed for them as a sleeping area. It was a tiny thing with one room and half its roof missing, the remnants of dusty, half broken old furniture scattered about inside too. They were covered in cobwebs, the remnants of them stretched across nearly every inch of wood in the house, and although Levi knew that no one had been there in a very, very long time, it almost felt like they were disturbing some ancient place with their presence there. 

Their belongings were the only clean things in the cottage and looked out of place, most of it laid out neatly by Erwin and set alongside a wall. Pieces of his armor were scattered about here and there too as if he'd removed it quickly, and everything was illuminated by a lamp he'd lit and set up on a windowsill near the small bed. That was actually nothing more than an old straw mattress, but Erwin had covered it with the blankets they'd been traveling with and gotten it ready for sleep. It looked inviting enough to Levi despite the dust and dirt of this place because it was better than sleeping on the ground, but the water basin Erwin had placed next to it on the floor reminded him that he wasn’t going to be able to get to sleep just yet.  

Erwin still had to heal him - something that Levi was expressly looking forward to because he was tired of hurting like shit - and after laying him down on the bed as gently as he could, Erwin shifted the cloak aside that he was still wrapped in and reached for a cloth. It was next to the water basin and he dipped it in, turning his gaze onto Levi and holding still before he did anything else.

“I’m sorry that you were injured.” He said, the heavy look appearing in his eyes again. It was echoed in the deep, dark frown he wore now too, and Levi, feeling a little dizzy again from all the movement, could only scowl because he knew what was coming. “You’ve been in pain all day. I-”

“Erwin, don’t.” Levi managed to ground out, reaching up to grip his tunic with one hand. 

He swallowed and braced himself and then dragged him down for a kiss, hoping that would stop Erwin from uttering any more bullshit. It was obvious that he was blaming himself for Levi's injuries even if he didn't say as much, as Levi could tell just from the way he was speaking. It was bullshit though, because it wasn’t his fault Levi had gotten hurt; the only person responsible for that was Levi himself. He’d fucked up and that was that, and hearing anything about it would just make  _ him _ feel guilt and shame for putting everyone else in danger, and worse than that for Erwin needlessly making himself culpable. That was the last thing he wanted him to think, because Levi had known the risks when he'd agreed to sneak into the tower for him. He'd known what could happen, and really, he thought, even if he  _ had  _ gotten injured pretty badly it could have always been much, much worse. 

Either way, Levi wanted Erwin to forget it. He didn't want to talk about it because it didn't matter - nothing that had happened to him was unrepairable. Erwin could heal him back to normal and that was what Levi wanted him to do, to touch him and stay near him and distract him from everything that had happened that day too. He didn't want to wait any longer for it, but still, he found that he couldn’t let Erwin get started without at least trying as much as he could to assuage some of his stupid, misplaced guilt.

“Don’t blame yourself for any of this shit.” He said, gently pushing Erwin away and breaking their lingering kiss so he could speak. “When a rogue gets caught, it’s nobody else's fault but the rogue’s. Got it?” 

For a moment Erwin just stared at him, but then, thankfully, he cracked a small smile. 

“Is that part of your code?” He asked, running his fingers through Levi’s hair and pressing the wet cloth to his cheek.

It was to wipe the dried blood and dirt off of where Kenny had sliced him, presumably, and Levi practically melted into the touch, sighing and letting his eyes go lidded and turning his head in the direction of Erwin’s palm. The wound stung a bit but the warm water felt good, and either way, it wasn’t enough to keep Levi from snorting. Yes, he mused, it did say that in his order’s code, but Levi was pretty sure that it also proclaimed there was no shame in getting caught by another rogue too because none of their rules made any fucking sense. That was what had happened but Levi wasn’t going to tell Erwin that, because the proverb was stupid anyway and it would just undermine everything he’d said to try and make him feel better. 

“Yeah.” He only said simply, soaking in the warm light of Erwin’s glow. “It also says that if there are any big paladins around when I’m hurt, they have to heal me.”

Thankfully, at that, Erwin’s smile grew into a chuckle.

“I’m working on it.” He said, wiping off the rest of Levi’s face and his temple before dipping the cloth into the water again.

He swiped it over his neck quickly and then discarded it, kissing him once briefly before cupping his cheek. Then he began to speak, murmuring words that Levi didn’t understand but that were familiar to him by now, and a second later he felt a hot tingling over his skin. It was magic and it was coming from Erwin’s fingers, and even if the injuries on his face were the least severe, Levi had never been more glad to be subjected to a spell in his entire life.

“Fuck.” He breathed in relief, unable to stop himself from tugging Erwin back down once he’d finished, using the arm that wasn’t connected to an injured shoulder to hug Erwin’s neck so he could kiss him again.

The few they shared before had been quick, but this one was less so, brought on by the neediness that Levi had been feeling for Erwin all day. He knew that Erwin likely wanted to focus on healing him but he suddenly couldn’t help it, and thankfully, Erwin indulged him for a moment and leaned into it. Levi closed his eyes when he did and let his lips part pliantly, nearly sighing when he felt Erwin’s tongue sliding against his own, the taste of him flooding Levi’s mouth and making him feel just as warm as his magic had. He would have gladly stayed like that for much longer because he was feeling better already, but he knew Erwin wasn’t done yet, and he wasn’t surprised when he pulled away suddenly and slipped his hand over the other side of Levi’s face.

“Wait a moment.” Erwin said with a bit of carefully controlled amusement, his fingers causing Levi’s skin to tingle pleasantly everywhere they touched. 

It was a nice sensation, and by then, Levi was pretty sure it was from something else rather than any magic, but it didn’t feel any less comforting when Erwin spoke his spell again to heal the scrape on his temple. Levi watched his lips move while he did it, staring at his mouth while he toyed with the back of Erwin’s hair and waited patiently until he could kiss him again.

“Where else does it hurt?” Erwin asked after he had, breathing the question against the skin of Levi’s throat after he’d ducked down to taste him there too. 

“My ass.” Levi said immediately, tilting his head back to give Erwin more access.

The movement stretched the muscles in his shoulder and made it throb, but it wasn’t enough to get him to readjust. He wasn’t sure when it had started, but somewhere in between Erwin lying him down onto the bed and that exact second his lightheadedness had gone from a product of pain to something more pleasurable and relaxing. He felt warm all over and even a little heavy-limbed, the relief from it causing Levi’s mood to brighten. It was almost like he was drunk, he thought, and wondered whether it had to do with the spiked potion or Erwin’s strong magic, or both. Regardless, it wasn’t like he was complaining; he felt good and even free of pain if he didn’t move, but unfortunately, that could only last for so long.

At his comment Erwin snorted, a wry smile appearing on his face as he sat up. “Don’t worry, I’ll get to that. Where else?”

“My shoulder.” Levi mumbled. “Hurts like a bitch.”

“Can you sit up?” 

Levi frowned at the question. He could, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to lie there and be kissed instead, but he also knew that for that to really happen like he wanted, they’d have to get through this shit first. Gritting his teeth, he fisted his fingers into Erwin’s tunic and shifted with a great effort to haul himself up, aided by Erwin who wrapped an arm around his back for support. 

“I need to take this off.” Erwin said, pressing a hand against his leather tunic and giving Levi a sympathetic look when he groaned.

He wished he could tell Erwin to just cut the damn thing off, but it was the only armor he had and they couldn’t - obviously, he needed it. Instead, he just leaned against Erwin while he carefully undid the straps and the laces, bracing himself when he was finished because he knew what was coming next. Clenching his teeth, he raised his arms so that Erwin could slip that and his undershirt over his head as quickly and as painlessly as he could, unable to stop himself from wincing when a sharp jolt of pain raced down his spine despite all of Erwin’s care. 

Luckily, though, it only lasted for a moment longer, because once the clothing was off Erwin acted fast, cradling Levi against him with one arm and using the other to press his palm against the back of his injured shoulder, blurting out the spell with no hesitation whatsoever and even pressing his lips to the front of the muscle when he was done. He mouthed at his skin there while the magic continued to flow from his fingertips and into Levi’s back, numbing the pain and making him nearly shiver because it tingled so much. It was also warm and soothing and spread almost all the way through him, and Levi made a sound that might have been a low moan if he cared to define it, leaning against Erwin, closing his eyes, and resting his chin on his shoulder.

He stayed still like that, but only for a moment before he dipped his head down to kiss at Erwin’s neck, trailing his lips over his skin slowly and lazily. He moved them up Erwin’s throat and then over his jaw next, trying to coax Erwin’s mouth back to his, and it worked because after just a few seconds they were kissing again. Each time they started this it seemed to grow more heated, as the fact that Levi was feeling better and stronger by the minute did not at all dissuade him from moving his mouth against Erwin’s more vigorously.

Now that his shoulder was healed, he could wrap both arms around Erwin’s neck too, fisting the fingers of one hand into silky blonde hair before he pulled him back down onto the bed. Erwin caught himself with an arm beside his head, allowing Levi to arch and press his front against him, aiming for more contact until all of the movement caused him to suddenly gasp in pain.

It was his fucking ankle, and the deep biting ache of it had cut so sharply through the lusty, intoxication-like haze he was feeling now that it made him flinch. In response, Erwin pulled away immediately, giving him a sympathetic look and sitting up again so that he could glance backwards toward Levi’s feet.

“Your ankle, right?” He asked, placing a hand on Levi’s thigh and looking back at him. “You were limping earlier.”

Erwin said it like he expected Levi to protest, but he was going to do nothing of the sort. He was growing increasingly impatient for this to be over with so they could move on to other things, yes, but he also wanted to be healed so that they wouldn’t be interrupted again. Also, though, he wasn’t even sure that he could formulate an argument even if he’d wanted to. After Erwin’s last spell, Levi was now sure that it was his magic making him feel so fucked up, because the feeling had only gotten stronger, making him feel numb and loose and dazed all at the same time.

He was more relaxed than he’d ever thought he could be with a horribly mangled ankle, a pleasurable sensation spreading over his body that almost made him feel like he was in some kind of warm bath or something. It was odd because Erwin had healed him other times and this hadn’t happened, but after thinking about the extent of his injuries, he supposed that he’d never had to use this much magic on him before either.

“What the fuck is your magic doing to me?” He asked as he thought about it though, partly because he was curious, and partly to distract himself because Erwin had started moving for his boots.

Taking those off - or at least, the one on his injured leg - was going to be ten times worse than his tunic had been, and he doubted that whatever weird drunkenness he was feeling was going to do anything to help that whatsoever.

“I’m using quite a bit.” Erwin said, helping Levi to take off his first boot and confirming his suspicions. “Also, your size doesn’t help matters.”

He said it straight-faced except for the tiniest upturn of his lips, and had Levi been able, he would have squirmed out of Erwin’s grip and kicked him in the thigh - gently, of course. He was implying that it was affecting him more because he was small, and although Levi wasn't fucking surprised, it didn't stop him from scowling.

“Don't worry.” Erwin said a moment later, even though Levi hadn't been worried. “It will wear off quickly once we’re through. I'm going to take your boot off now.”

Any other scathing comment Levi might have made in response to Erwin's teasing was halted by that, as just the thought of Erwin removing his boot made him tense up. The magic had numbed him like a painkiller so that tiny movements didn’t feel agonizing anymore, but he was pretty sure that all the wiggling Erwin was going to have to do to take the damn thing off wouldn't be eased by that. It was going to be agonizing - partly because he could tell that his foot and ankle were so swollen that they were practically already stuck inside his shoe in the first place - but, he supposed, it was going to have to happen at some point. 

The sooner he got it over with the better, and Erwin did what he could to ease the pain once he started, murmuring in a low voice as he lifted Levi's leg up into the air by holding his calf. The movement made his entire leg ache, but he felt warmth too, just the slightest tingling magic that was able to penetrate through the leather from Erwin's words. It helped a little, but when Erwin started working his boot off it hurt so badly that Levi saw black spots dancing in front of his vision again, a pained gasp leaving his throat that he was unable to hold back when he finally slipped it off. 

He cursed vehemently and grit his teeth, feeling sweaty and a little nauseous from the intense ache, but thankfully, it was only for a few more seconds before Erwin got to work. He'd shifted enough onto the bed so that he was able to lay Levi's foot down over his thigh, and wrapped both his hands gently around his ankle, one on top of the other before he started reciting the healing spell. 

Right away, Levi could tell that this was the strongest one he'd used so far, because immediately the pain faded and was replaced by tingling bliss, a feeling so warm and relaxing that Levi was reminded of what it felt like to bask in the afterglow of sex. He sighed as, naturally, that thought made the feeling go straight to his groin, and no sooner was he able to move without hurting himself than Levi started squirming, biting his lip and digging the heel of his free foot into the bed to push his hips up off it. He arched too, and this time the sound he made was definitely a moan, and Levi couldn't help himself from reaching down to start untangling the laces of his pants. He was hard by then and ready to do other things, but Erwin interrupted him a second later and caused him to freeze. 

"You broke it." He said, as Levi's hand stopped what it was doing. He looked up to find Erwin gazing at his foot like he hadn't even noticed all of his writhing, a solemn expression on his face that didn't fade after he gently kissed Levi's ankle. "I'm sorry, Levi."

Huffing at the apology, Levi sat up onto his elbows and gave Erwin a wary look. He hadn't spoken with the same guilty tone as he had earlier, but the apology implied that he was still blaming himself. Levi did not see why; regardless of everything, it didn't matter now. Levi might have broken his ankle but it certainly wasn't like that any longer, and he demonstrated that fact by wiggling his foot around in Erwin's grip, the movement now easy and pain free when it would have caused him agony before. 

“It's fine.” He said, lying back down and stretching both his arms too, rolling what had probably been a sprained shoulder just a few minutes ago like nothing had ever happened. It was amazing, he thought, as there wasn't even any leftover stiffness. Erwin's magic had done wonders, healing not only his major injuries but all of his minor ones as well, so that he felt as good as new and certainly not at all like he'd fallen off a gigantic tower because of a bunch of stupid mistakes he’d made. It was just another reason Erwin shouldn't feel badly, Levi thought, because he had fixed him with more tenderness and care in the past few minutes than Levi probably even deserved. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

Erwin chuckled, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He certainly didn't sparkle, and Levi frowned while watching him. “Really, though, I regret that you were injured while following my orders. You did so well and went without any hesitation, and-”

“Erwin.” Levi said, jerking his foot out of Erwin's hand and throwing it to the side, shifting so that he was sitting right in between Levi’s spread legs. It was meant to be an inviting gesture, but just in case Erwin didn’t get it, Levi gave him his best attempt at a sultry look and made it more than clear with his next words. “If you don't shut up and get over here, I'm going to throw you off this fucking bed.”

This time when Erwin smiled he did sparkle, and Levi reached up to grab his tunic, pulling him down even as he leaned over him to meet him halfway for a kiss. It was hungry on Levi's part and sweet on Erwin's, but it didn't take long for Erwin to start moving against Levi just as eagerly after a little coaxing from his tongue and his teeth, as Levi licked into his mouth and nibbled on his bottom lip, arching against him too so that Erwin could hopefully feel his erection pressing into his leg. 

“I see you’re feeling better.” Erwin said upon noticing it, his voice a little breathless from the growing urgency of their kissing. 

“It's your fault, bastard.” Levi said, ignoring how Erwin's words made his ears warm. “Pretty sure you didn't have to heal me like that.”

He was referring to the way Erwin had put his hands all over his bare skin, undressing him and kissing him and making him feel good with his stupid magic. He knew if someone else had healed him it wouldn't have been like that, and as a result, once most of the pain had faded he’d started getting horny instead. Although the drunken feeling had already started to wear off like Erwin had told him it would, he still felt warm and languid and, well, like he wanted to fuck. At least half of that was from the magic, he thought, even if the rest was just from the fact that it had been Erwin doing it to him, but either way Levi was holding him fully responsible.

Not that Erwin cared, though, because he just laughed in a low tone, a look appearing in his eyes that Levi knew all too well. 

“That's right.” He said, the last of his somberness finally disappearing. “And I'm not finished with you yet.”

Levi's eyes went lidded at that declaration, his lips parting in anticipation because Erwin was snaking a hand down between their bodies toward Levi's pants. His fingers got to work finishing the job unlacing them that Levi had started earlier, deftly pulling at the strings while his lips kissed at Levi’s neck and jaw before nibbling at one of his sensitive ears, too. The sensation of his teeth caused Levi to gasp and squirm underneath Erwin’s warm bulk, opening his mouth to curse at him like he always did for teasing him on purpose. 

Before he could, however, Erwin’s hand was in his pants, palming at his bare cock and causing a strangled sound to leave Levi’s lips. He was achingly sensitive after being subjected to Erwin’s touches for so long - even if it  _ had  _ been just to heal him - and growing impatient, he reached around to dig his fingers into Erwin’s tunic so that he could try and pull it over his head.

“Take this off.” He gasped, turning his head to capture Erwin’s lips again when his face shifted near his own, the messy, heated kiss delaying them both for a few seconds before Erwin could pull away again.

He let Levi rid him of the piece of clothing and then went for his pants, but not before allowing Levi the chance to run his hands all over his broad, gloriously bare chest. His muscles felt firm underneath Levi’s palms like they always did, his nipples pink and hardened from what they were doing. Levi brushed his fingers over the stiff peaks, but he didn’t get long to toy with them before he was naked, the leather tugged off his legs in just a few easy movements when Erwin sat up and back on his heels in front of him. Rather than lie back down when he was through so that Levi could grope his chest some more, he shifted his way down the bed so that he was lying with his head between Levi’s thighs, immediately latching his mouth onto the sensitive skin on the inside of one and sucking hard enough to make him flinch. 

“You know.” Levi said, tangling his fingers into Erwin’s hair and biting his lip, finding that his heart was thrumming in excitement at Erwin's position in between his legs. He wanted his mouth where it mattered though, but somehow refrained from directing his head there with the grip he had in Erwin's hair, making a quiet sound and shifting a bit instead towards his tongue when he felt it running leisurely over the mark he'd probably just made. There were teeth scraping against skin that was just inches away from his cock a second later, and Levi gasped, lifting his head to speak with the hopes that it might urge Erwin on for once.  “I think my dick got hit with something earlier, if you want to check it. Just in case you missed a spot.”

Erwin’s laughter was loud in the quiet room, the ensuing sparkles and the sound of it washing over Levi warmly enough for him to almost crack a smile himself. The urge was forgotten almost immediately though, as his lips were parting a second later because Erwin had indeed lifted his head to nuzzle at his cock.  

“It looks fine to me.” He said wryly, nosing at it before giving it a kiss, as gently as if it had been Levi’s cheek. “What about here?” 

The question was followed by Erwin hooking a hand up under one knee and wrenching Levi’s leg up, spreading him so that he could press his mouth to the underside of his thigh. Levi felt the slightest pinch of his teeth again, and then his lips trailing down to the bottom of his ass cheek where he bit him harder this time, the sudden sharp sting of it making his breath hitch in surprise.

“What the hell are you trying to do?” He panted, biting back a whimpering noise when Erwin spread him with a thumb and did it again, this time closer to the inside of his ass where he was sensitive enough for the sensation to make him arch. It didn’t help that he’d sunk his teeth into the plump flesh so hard he was sure he’d left a mark there too, and Levi tried to squirm under his grip, tried to shift his hips closer to his mouth because he wanted more. “You just healed me, and now you’re biting my ass like a fucking animal. Are you going to fix that too?”

Erwin hummed low in his throat like he was thinking, licking over the indentations in Levi’s skin with his tongue before he spoke. “No, I don’t think I will. I like the way my teeth marks look on you.”

_ “ _ Fuck.” Levi all but moaned, tilting his head back and jerking his hips up at Erwin’s words, the sound cutting off into a rough exhale when he suddenly felt the wetness of Erwin’s tongue brush against his entrance.

It was unexpected and made him freeze, as this was something they had not yet done in all their time together. Not that Levi was against such things, but he hadn’t known that Erwin would necessarily be into it, and, well, Erwin sticking his face into Levi’s ass was a lot more intimate than sucking his dick. By then, though, Levi was comfortable enough with Erwin so that it only made him tense for a split second, just long enough for him to lift his head up to meet Erwin’s gaze. 

When he did so, he found Erwin looking at him from between his legs too, watching him closely and studying his reaction when he licked at him once again - gingerly, like he was trying not to overstep. Obviously, he was giving Levi a moment to object if he wanted to, but he didn’t, and the fact that Erwin was down there in the first place meant that he was fine with it regardless of Levi's preferences. 

With that thought in mind, Levi relaxed, swallowing before he reached down to wind his fingers into Erwin’s hair again in a gentle grip.

“Don't stop, Erwin.” He told him, flushing a bit when Erwin mouthed at him down there in response - as light and as soft as a slow kiss - and nosed at his balls. 

Then he gasped when Erwin obeyed and ran the tip of his tongue over him harder this time, tracing it around the rim of his hole and humming quietly in satisfaction at Levi’s shudder. After that, Levi tipped his head back and hooked both his legs over Erwin’s shoulders with his encouragement, going slack and closing his eyes because unsurprisingly, that was all Erwin needed to keep going, to flick his eyes away from Levi’s face back down between his legs so he could focus on the task before him.

He didn’t waste much time after that - or at least, he didn’t waste anytime getting started on driving Levi crazy. Right away he could tell that’s how it was going to be, because the light flicks of Erwin’s tongue were teasing and short, and the pressure of it when he lapped over him - sometimes from the bottom of his ass all the way up to his balls - was deliberately slow and just shy of the harder slide of it that Levi wanted. It was enough to have him shifting on the bed within minutes, his toes curling and his hips jerking upward at the mixed sensations of Erwin’s mouth, quiet, breathy moans leaving his lips that gradually grew higher as Levi became desperate and needy for more. 

What Erwin was doing felt good, but he couldn't help the want that he had for him to go faster, to feel the press of his tongue inside of him instead of just against his hole. Erwin ignored his squirming though, naturally, holding his thighs still so that Levi could only buck his ass towards his mouth so much, right up until he was so flushed and covered in sweat that he couldn’t help but whine loudly for more pressure.

“ _ Erwin _ , fuck-” Levi groaned impatiently, biting his lip and scraping his fingers across Erwin’s scalp, arching sharply when no sooner had he uttered his name than Erwin was slipping his tongue inside him without hesitation.

He did it without warning too, and Levi couldn’t hold back the noise he made - louder than any he’d let out so far. He cut it off at the last second by throwing his arm over his face, aware that although they weren’t camping in cramped quarters like normal, half of the roof of their sleeping place was still missing and if he got too noisy he would certainly be overheard. It was hard though, especially when the pleasure was so distracting, and especially when Erwin suddenly seemed intent on making up for all the teasing he’d done to him moments before.

Where he’d gone slow then he was licking up inside him eagerly now, sliding his tongue in and out and mouthing at his ass, using his thumbs to spread him open further so that the wet noises coming from between his legs were loud enough to make even Levi flush. He bit down on his arm and whimpered, rolling his hips up as best he could to grind himself against Erwin’s mouth and trying not to cry out, because he’d become so tightly strung that what Erwin was doing to him so mercilessly now was quickly going to his head. 

Soon, he was trembling, his thighs tense and his belly hot, and he wondered if Erwin was going to stop. Was he trying to make him come like this? He got his answer a second later, when Erwin let go of one of his legs to grasp his cock, running his fingers along the shaft lightly before wrapping them around it so he could stroke him. It made him positively keen when the sensations from the friction mixed with what Erwin was still doing with his mouth, and before he knew it he was digging his heels into Erwin’s back, going rigid all over with pleasure for a split second until it all suddenly released in a hot, blissful, overwhelming rush. 

Levi probably cried out but he didn’t know for sure, because the pleasure seemed to block out all his other senses for a few moments, causing him to shake and cling to whatever he could reach - in this instance, Erwin’s shoulders and hair. He tightened his fingers and Erwin’s subsequent groan was what brought him back to reality after his orgasm, the sound of it and his position and the feel of the silky blonde strands against his palm reminding him of that first night, the night where Levi had held a knife to his throat and then Erwin had sucked his dick. 

He recalled it even more when he opened his eyes and tilted his head up, and found Erwin gazing at him with red cheeks and a lustful expression as he had then, and for a moment Levi couldn’t believe that he’d gone from trying to kill him to nearly killing himself  _ for  _ him. That’s what had happened that day whether he wanted to admit it or not, and if the look on Erwin’s face said anything, he was thinking the same thing too. 

His expression was strangely readable in comparison to how it usually was, a mixture of determination and awe and something else - something warm that made Levi’s chest swell. He felt it too, stronger than he had up until that point, anyway, and although later he would wonder what it meant, right then he was only concerned about one other thing.

“What did you do that for?” He panted, looking over where he’d made a white, sticky mess all over his stomach. “Dammit, Erwin, I wanted to-”

He’d been about to say he’d wanted to fuck, to express his confusing feelings in the only way that he knew how, but Erwin interrupted him before he could finish.

“Does it matter?” He asked, his voice coming out rough and muffled as he kissed at Levi’s thigh. “If Hanji is right, you can again, can’t you?”

For a moment, Levi wasn’t sure what the fuck Erwin was talking about, and was about to chastise him for mentioning her while his mouth was between his legs. Then he remembered how Hanji had blurted out embarrassing details about the sensitivity of elvish cocks at breakfast when they’d been in the city though, and somehow, he went impossibly more red than he already was. 

“Shitty mage.” He cursed, his reaction all but confirming what Erwin was talking about. They hadn’t really discussed it since Hanji’s fucking assertions because they hadn’t had time; all Erwin had done afterward was just tease him a bit. But Levi didn’t figure there was any reason  _ not _ to explain it now - especially since Erwin obviously knew he was right. “I can get it up again, yeah. Don't tell me you didn't notice it before now.”

Levi's words stemmed from the fact that even without Hanji’s crass and unwelcome explanation regarding his anatomy, his limited ‘refractory period’ as she had called it had certainly displayed itself in front of Erwin before. Almost every time they slept together at night he'd end up at least half hard again before they went to sleep, usually from the ensuing lazy kisses and cuddling that followed once they were through. When they fucked other times they were usually too hurried for it to happen again after, but Levi would be shocked if there hadn't been at least one time where Erwin had noticed he'd gotten hard again in a matter of minutes after he'd just come. 

“I just thought you were sensitive.” Erwin answered, confirming Levi's suspicions. “But I didn't know that meant you could come again as easily as the first time. How quickly can you get hard again?”

Levi opened his mouth but did not speak for a second, going silent instead as he stared at the ceiling - partly because he didn’t want Erwin to see his scarlet face, and partly because he was thinking. 

“Fuck, I dunno.” He said a moment later, scoffing. “It's not like I’ve timed that shit anytime recently.”

“Recently?” Erwin asked, amusement lacing his tone at Levi’s response.

Shifting in growing embarrassment, Levi pushed himself up onto his elbow and scowled down at him. “Look, you think elves don’t get just as horny when they’re going through puberty as humans do?”

“I suppose I don’t see why they wouldn’t.” Erwin said, thankfully refraining from asking anymore questions so that Levi wouldn’t have to explain how he’d attempted to find out how many times in a row he could successfully jerk off when he’d been younger. “But if you don’t know, it looks like I’ll just have to find out myself.” 

Before Levi could protest or ask if this was really the time for shit like that, Erwin had dipped his head back down between his ass cheeks again, gently probing him with his tongue so abruptly that anything he’d been about to say turned into a hitching gasp. Soon it turned into a groan though as Erwin’s mouth was accompanied by a finger, seconds after he reached up, swirled his digits around in the mess of come Levi had made on his stomach a few moments ago, and pushed it inside of him gently. 

The sound that left his lips was low and drawn out, and although he was still a little oversensitive, it faded after a minute of Erwin lapping at him delicately and tickling inside of him with his finger. Then it was just a matter of Levi getting lost in the pleasure again - something that wasn't hard given what Erwin was doing to him - before his cock started to perk back up, hardening slowly at first and then much faster after Levi realized Erwin was watching him. His eyes were open and fixed on the sight of him with an intense interest, taking in how his length was growing stiff again from his ministrations, a heated look in his eyes that was inflaming enough for Levi's cock to give a small twitch when he noticed it.

Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to have Erwin inside of him, moving above and against him while he shifted to match his movements. He felt almost desperate for it, and he didn't understand how Erwin was keeping his cool when Levi had already come once and was a quarter of a way there again. He'd been hard the entire time and he had to be aching, but unfortunately, at that point, he'd still barely even started opening Levi up. 

“Erwin.” Levi said with that realization, spreading his legs wider and raising his hips, popping one of his own fingers into his mouth so he could reach down and push it inside himself alongside Erwin's. He was trying to speed up the process, but the sensation of both their fingers in his ass made him shudder and pause with a quiet moan. “Come  _ on _ .”

It was a breathy plea, but thankfully one that Erwin relented to. He shifted, leaning over the edge of the mattress to find a vial of oil he'd apparently placed there, pulling it open with his teeth and drizzling a decent amount onto his fingers. Then he was working a third finger into Levi's entrance - in between his other and the one of Levi's that was still there - stretching him in earnest while Levi gasped and panted and moved his hips in response above him.

“That's it, Levi.” He murmured after a few minutes of that, pressing his fingertips along the top of Levi's inner walls, searching. “You're doing so well. Do you think you could come like this, too?”

_ “What?” _ Levi all but choked out, arching abruptly because Erwin had found his prostate.

It made his cock jump and forced pre-come to leak from the tip as Erwin rubbed it harder, causing him to shudder and buck his hips up for more. That he hadn't even realized he'd done, because was Erwin serious? He probably could come like that, he knew, but he wanted Erwin's dick  _ badly _ , and if he was aching for it like that then Erwin had to be even worse, right?

“I want to see it. I'm curious.” Erwin said, moving his fingers in and out, brushing against the small, sensitive nub inside of Levi perfectly. “You're already shaking again, anyway. Are you close?”

Levi swore because he was certainly getting there, and felt his own remaining digit slip out of himself. He couldn't hold it in any longer but it was replaced with a third of Erwin's quickly anyway, the brief stretching, filling sensation making his hands grip at the sheets because Erwin’s fingers were, of course, bigger, and bite his lip, holding back an impatient whine even as his thighs trembled.

“I want you to stick it the fuck in.” He gasped, his ass clenching around what was inside him already anyway, his hips moving again and again to meet every slick slide of Erwin’s fingers in and out of him too. 

“Soon. Keep moving your hips, just like that.” Erwin replied, and that was when Levi realized he was speaking in elvish, and when whatever remaining control he might have had over himself to keep protesting slipped away again almost immediately. “That’s good. You’re almost there. Come for me, and I'll give you what you want.”

Moaning in abandonment, Levi bucked his ass up and threw his head back, barely restraining a shudder at the sound of Erwin speaking such dirty words to him in his own tongue. It was exciting, but he found it sweet too when Erwin talked to him that way, and as he kept whispering to him like that Levi let go of his remaining restraint again and moved his hips eagerly, rolling them upward to meet every single stroke of Erwin’s pumping hand. The way he was hitting his prostate felt unbelievable, and it felt even better when Erwin started palming at his cock again like he had before, keeping both motions up at the same time with sure and deliberate movements. 

It was like he was determined to draw Levi’s orgasm out that way - which, Levi supposed, he was whether he liked it or not - but it wasn’t like it was going to be hard. It didn’t take him much longer after he was able to grind his cock against Erwin’s hand once more, his movements becoming more desperate and reaching by the second until abruptly, he came again with a harsh grunt. 

The sound stuttered and turned into a cry as he spilled all over himself for the second time that night though, and then, before he knew it, Erwin’s mouth was covering his own as he removed his fingers and shifted on top of him, kissing him hard and swallowing his moans while Levi clung to him and shivered through his intense release. 

True to his word, Erwin then sat up to coat himself with oil after they broke apart, wasting no more time in shifting himself between Levi's legs so that he could start pushing inside him. Apparently, he had reached his limit on waiting too - or at least, watching Levi come so quickly a second time had driven him to that point - because the intent, calm look on his face had gone. Now he looked flushed and focused, his lips parted as he took in breaths that were almost as heavy as Levi’s were now that he’d started to enter him. He guided the head in with a groan while gripping Levi’s thigh tightly, sliding inside him steadily as Levi spread his still shaking legs to accommodate him.

“Shit,  _ Erwin-”  _ He let out, moaning lewdly and digging his fingers into any part of Erwin's skin that he could reach. 

He squeezed his eyes shut too and arched while Erwin's cock filled him, at the thick length of it pressing deeper and deeper as he eased it in. He did it as gently as he could as there was still a little stretch, but Levi was not in much of a state to help him, and could only lie there with his hips angled up into the air because after having a second orgasm, the oversensitivity tended to linger for a bit longer. 

Still, that didn't keep him from growing hard for a third time, not with his body continuing to hum with pleasure from the ongoing friction. In fact, Levi was pretty sure that he hadn't even gone all the way soft because Erwin hadn't given him any fucking time to recover, and all he could really do even after Erwin was all the way seated was try to keep his legs from shaking too much and hold on. His hips fit snugly against Levi’s ass before he knew it and he leaned back over him, sighing into his mouth when Levi grabbed him by the neck to drag him down for a kiss.

He started moving after that, in shallow, short thrusts because they had almost immediately wrapped themselves around each other after their lips met. Levi’s arms and legs crossed behind Erwin’s back and Erwin grabbed his thigh to pull him even closer, his warm mouth on Levi’s neck a second later and his breath coming out in hot puffs against his skin.

He fucked him as slow as he could until Levi’s breathless gasps became moans again, until he was able to lift his ass to meet Erwin’s thrusts eagerly in a plea for him to go faster. He'd reached between them and wrapped a hand around his cock to stroke himself, the come from before making the motions of his hand wet and slick and more hurried. Erwin was listening to the sounds he was making while he did it, angling his hips to make him moan louder too and arch his back, grinding against his prostate when he'd found it until Levi's mouth was hanging open. 

"Is that good?" He asked, the words a murmur against Levi’s cheek before he was moving his lips along his ear, kissing him there until the gentle scrape of his teeth sent a shudder through him so intensely that all he could manage in response was Erwin's name. 

That was the answer Erwin needed whether it was understandable or not, apparently, and it wasn't hard for Levi to get overwhelmed again, not when Erwin kept going like that, fucking him faster now and driving into his prostate with every thrust. He'd pushed Levi's hand aside to stroke his cock himself, firm, rough jerks that along with everything else made Levi’s head spin. He felt the tension building in his belly once more, rapidly and so tight he could barely stand it, and his breaths came in short, ragged gasps until Erwin suddenly sat up to drag his legs over his thighs and he had to bite back a cry. 

“What about here, Levi?” Erwin breathed like he actually expected him to answer, his thumb pressing a bruise into Levi’s hip while he moved, his other hand still on his cock and teasing the head with every stroke. “Are you going to come for me again?”

Erwin was watching him as he had before, Levi vaguely realized, his bright eyes burning holes into him while they roamed over his chest and face. Apparently seeing his previous two orgasms weren't enough, but Levi barely had time to think about it before he was over the edge again with one more snap of Erwin’s hips, shaking as the pleasure ripped through him suddenly and biting down on his bottom lip so hard he was surprised when he didn’t taste the metallic tang of blood. He had to, or he was sure he would’ve moaned so loudly that there was no way he wouldn’t be overheard by anyone else in the surrounding woods, much less those that were hopefully still sleeping blissfully in their camp.

After that, he collapsed, his vision practically swimming as he panted and shuddered while Erwin continued to thrust into him. He wasn’t done, but watching Levi come had made him move faster and more desperately, panting hard and holding onto his waist with an iron grip. His hips slapped hard enough against Levi's ass to make a wet smacking sound, and when he came not long after, Levi had the vision of him looking completely uncomposed, his hair a wreck and in his face, his eyes squeezed shut tightly and his mouth hanging open. He let out a low moan and trembled for a moment above him, and then after his muscles visibly untensed, he fell forward to press their lips together messily.

"Do you feel better now?" Erwin asked him after another moment, pulling away from his mouth to let his forehead rest against Levi’s. “Have I healed you enough?”

Levi was so fucked out that he'd barely been able to respond to Erwin's kiss, but somehow, he did manage an eyeroll at Erwin's ridiculously timed display of humor, and at the implication that what they’d just done had healed Levi almost as much as his actual magic had. 

"I can't move." He answered, groaning when he did shift onto his side a little. It was nearly true - he was limp and exhausted, whatever energy Erwin's spells had returned to him from before gone already from their activities, and he was still struggling to catch his breath after so much movement. He felt like they’d been fucking for hours, losing track of the time while Erwin had gotten him hard again and again and made him come three times, and he found it amusing that Erwin was referring to what they'd just done as healing when he now felt incapable in a different way. "If I can't ride tomorrow, it's your fucking fault."

Erwin chuckled and smiled - apparently pleased with Levi's answer - and then kissed his cheek before rolling off and next to him, slinging an arm over his waist to hug him tightly. "I'll take that as a yes, if you don't mind."

"Knock yourself out."

Another laugh, and then Erwin was reaching for something and Levi felt the damp cloth from before on his skin. He was wiping off his stomach - cleaning up the sticky mess - before sliding it between his legs to do the same. Levi practically whimpered, so sensitive down there at that point that it made his toes curl, but Erwin just let out a soothing sound into his ear and kissed him there gently. 

"You really did do well today, Levi. I want you to know that I'm grateful. Thank you." He said softly, his soft tone making a fresh blush blossom across Levi’s cheeks and at the tips of his ears again. 

He spoke in elvish like he had before and that made it worse, so much so that Levi averted his eyes to look across the room.

"Why do you even know elvish?” He muttered a moment later, his own tongue sounding foreign on his lips because he almost never spoke it. 

Those days, there were just so few people who actually did, partly because it was a complicated language and partly because all the other races outnumbered elves in the world by quite a bit. It was because they had their own hidden sanctuaries that they’d always been reluctant to venture out of to mingle with everyone else, the tendency growing even worse once the titans had appeared. Now, elves like Levi, and, he supposed, Nanaba, who went on quests and joined groups and liked to adventure for gold were rare, so much so that it was hardly necessary for anyone else to learn to speak their language. That was probably part of the reason why hearing Erwin use it never failed to make Levi’s heart beat faster in his chest, every single time. It was special to hear it, but coming from Erwin it felt even more so, like he was saying something private just between them and that was meant only for Levi and no one else to hear, no matter what his words or his tones were.

“My father taught me. Its come in handy a few times.” Erwin answered, still lying on his side so he could look at him. “It was difficult to learn, but it got you to pay attention to me in that tavern in Trost. Just because of that, I think it was worth it.”

Levi grimaced, turning his head to look back at him. “Yeah, you were real fucking smooth, especially how you beat it upstairs in a hurry and left me sitting at that table with my dick hard in my pants.”

“Oh, so you  _ did _ want me then.” Erwin said teasingly, a small smile on his lips that only grew wider when Levi rolled his eyes.

“Maybe. I might not have even tried to kill you at all, if you’d actually done something about it. Unless I’m wrong, and you only decided to blow me once I held a dagger to your throat.”

“No.” Erwin said, his eyes going soft as he brought a hand up to rest on Levi’s cheek. “I wanted you from the moment I first saw you in our group. I only had to figure out what you were up to first."

Levi had reached up when Erwin touched his face automatically, wrapping his fingers around his wrist. He wasn't sure if he'd moved to pull his hand away or keep it there, but either way when Erwin spoke he stopped, his words combined with the gentle touch on his skin making him freeze. Erwin had never said anything like that before, and it made that deep, warm feeling from earlier return. Whatever it was, it was meaningful, and although there was little time to worry about what they were actually doing there or how either of them truly felt, Erwin's statement still made his heart skip a beat. His interest in him before had been fairly obvious, especially now that he looked back on it, but again, the fact that he had wanted him and still did even after Levi had tried to kill him still nearly awed him into silence.

Erwin moved his hand out from under Levi’s grip, grabbing at his own wrist and pulling it towards him so he could kiss his palm. Levi let him, curling his fingers over his face and watching him smile, the stupid sparkles floating away from his aura into the near darkness. He let Erwin pull him closer too, let him wrap his other arm around his back and position him so he could hold him how he wanted without protest, resting his head on Erwin's chest gently and looking up at him.

“I can’t believe you’d suck the dick of someone who just tried to kill you.” He murmured after another moment, settling in closer to Erwin as he wrapped both arms around his waist to hold him. 

“Well, I didn’t think your heart was in it.” He laughed quietly. The sound was a low rumble near Levi’s ear, and he took a moment to reflect on just how far they'd come - the two of them, together, rather than the group - since then. “It wasn’t, was it?”

“No.” Levi mumbled, biting at his lip, his chest swelling and his face turning red with how much he suddenly wanted to say more. He wasn’t quite sure how though and didn't even know what it was he  _ would  _ say, only that, well, Erwin had somehow become far more important to him than he would have ever imagined already. “I guess I’m pretty glad I didn’t kill you.” 

He blurted the last part after another moment, his ears burning, and listened to Erwin chuckle again and tighten his arms around him in response. 

“I am too, Levi.” He said, and even though it sounded like he was joking about being grateful to not be dead with his head cut off, Levi knew that wasn’t what he meant. 

He laid there with his head and arm on Erwin’s chest just soaking it in, letting himself relax against him completely while he felt Erwin run his fingers through his hair.

“What do we do now?” He asked eventually though, after another few minutes of silence. 

Despite how content he was with Erwin, he felt restless for some reason, the day’s events weighing heavily on his mind again because he knew that as comfortable as he was in that moment, when they woke up in the morning they would have to leave. And because even though he was fairly sure he knew the answer to his question too, it seemed strange that after everything he’d learned their plan still remained the same.

“Now? Now, I think you should get some sleep, but tomorrow we’ll keep heading to the mountains. We know who's behind this, but it sounds like their base of operations is there, not in Karanes. Hopefully, with all the scrolls and books we stole from the library, Hanji can determine what mind control spell they’re using and find a counterspell for it. Theoretically, there should be one.”

“Why?”

“For most spells like that - incapacitating spells, they’re called - there is a counterspell if someone is around to break it. Charms, sleeping spells, polymorphs, even necromancy spells all have one, so I don’t think it's unreasonable to assume that mind control doesn’t.” Erwin explained, but then sighed. “A long time ago, this would have been more common knowledge.”

“I thought all of that shit was forbidden?”

“It is, and it has been for a long time, which suggests that the planning for the titan’s creation might have started before you and I were even born. Before that, though, magical students were actually taught about these things, or at the very least on how to defend themselves from those types of spells. At some point, all of the information was locked up and only those with express permission were given access. Supposedly, anyway - when we went into the forbidden section of the library it looked like no one had been in there in decades. But now that we know the mage council is behind this, it makes sense that they would want to keep anyone from accessing that information, even if it was for obviously unrelated reasons.”

Levi was silent for another minute, taking all of Erwin’s information in. "What do these assholes even get out of all this?"

"I wish I knew. I can't imagine any reason that would validate the amount of destruction and death they've caused."

"Yeah, no shit." 

Erwin chuckled at his statement, and then Levi felt his fingers trailing through his hair again gently.  

"Go to sleep, Levi.” Erwin said then. “You don't need to worry about any of this. At least, not right now." 

Levi made a noncommittal noise in response but settled against Erwin anyway, his eyelids already drooping. He was tired and knew that if he didn't go to sleep he would likely regret it in the morning, so despite how nice it was to just relax with Erwin, he soon let himself fall into a deep sleep, lulled by the sounds of Erwin's breathing and the feel of his hand in his hair. 

He didn't wake up once until morning, and when he finally opened his eyes he felt like he'd been dead to the world for days. It took him a few moments to get his bearings and to shake off the last vestiges of unconsciousness, but when he did he realized that Erwin was gone, and he'd been covered up by the blankets at some point. The sunlight streaming in from the small window above their bed told him that it was daylight though, and after a quick stretch and a yawn he threw the blankets aside to get dressed. 

He wanted to go outside and find Erwin as quickly as possible, but as he pulled his pants on he couldn't help but stop to marvel at how refreshed and rested he felt. It was a wonder after what had happened yesterday, that his body was as good as new as if he had never been injured in the first place. It was almost like the day before had all been just a dream, except for the fact that it hadn't been, and when Levi remembered everything he’d learned and all that had happened, he felt his stomach twist at what it meant.

As much as Erwin seemed to want to convince him that it didn’t matter, he knew the fact that he’d gotten caught meant real consequences for their group and that they were now in even more danger than they were before. They were well and truly on the run now, with not just random creatures and liches pursuing them, but Kenny too. Levi had told Erwin he was worse than all of that other shit, and he’d meant it. Kenny was a crazy fuck, not to mention strong, reckless, and crafty. He wasn't the leader of the rogue’s guild for nothing, and the thought that he was after them - probably right then - filled Levi with more dread than anything else.

Unfortunately, he doubted that Kenny would be all, either. The council knew that Erwin no longer just suspected them. They knew because Levi had overheard everything and then gotten caught, knew that  _ they _ were now aware of the truth about the titans and that they were behind it, and hints of what they had in the mountains. They knew they would be headed there too, and Levi was absolutely sure that they would be doing everything they could in their power to stop them. That thought was mildly terrifying given that they were capable of mind controlling thousands of people at one time, and Levi shuddered to think of what kinds of things might be thrown at them now that the council were well and truly threatened. 

Those were the types of thoughts that ran through Levi's mind as he put on his armor, and when he finally exited the cottage, he got a full view of the village they had stayed in now that it wasn’t dark. In the daylight, it looked less creepy and more just desolate, empty, and quiet. It looked sad and depressing too, actually, because it was obvious it had been abandoned in a hurry. He'd noticed it inside the house when he'd been getting dressed, realized that it wasn’t just filled with a few random pieces of furniture. 

There had been all kinds of things - books, clothing, cooking utensils, and many more items scattered about the room that made it look like whoever had lived here had just up and left in a panic and never returned. Everything of value had been looted, of course, but what remained had been enough to give Levi a vague sense of melancholy and dread. 

It didn't go away once he was outside and started to walk, because the rest of the village looked much the same way too - or at least, the parts that weren’t burned down or destroyed did, anyway. Merchant stalls still lined the streets, some of them turned over or knocked down, and there were abandoned carts, wagons, and pieces of debris scattered about nearly everywhere he looked. He’d noticed all of that the night before, of course, but in the daylight and along with the fragments of broken glass and charred wood he saw, it painted the picture of a village whose last few moments had been full of terror and chaos. 

Terror, chaos, and suffering, he thought, if the pile of bones he’d glimpsed in the grass when they'd first arrived there had been anything to go by. 

Continuing to walk towards the center of the village where he assumed Erwin and the others would be, Levi stopped again, however, when he spotted another skeleton in front of a house just off the street he was walking on. This one was much smaller than the others he’d seen, and although that realization alone was enough to make him frown, it was what was lying beside it in the bony fragments of a hand that really caught his attention.

It was a cloth doll, dirty and weathered and leaking stuffing from the elements, but it was obvious that it had belonged to the bones. The bones that he assumed had once been a little girl, if the tattered remains of her dress were anything to go by. He stared down at it for several seconds with a blank look but roiling insides, the sight of it mournfully reminding him of Isabel. She was too old to play with dolls, but she was still very young, and she had come from a village like this that had been attacked by titans. She had escaped, but this child had not been so lucky, and Levi was suddenly filled with anger and frustration at the fucking Mage Council all over again.

This village was just one of the many, many ones like it that had been raided over the years, its citizens killed or forced to leave their lives behind in favor of moving to one of the walled cities where they would likely live in cramped poverty. Their communities would be shunned from the other citizens of the town who never wanted them there, and many would die of disease or starvation depending on how much help was available to them. Usually there wasn't much, and it was all so fucking terrible that it should not be allowed to happen. With the newfound knowledge that those in power over the region were actually the ones who had caused all of this, Levi felt sick to his stomach with disgust. 

Now that everything from yesterday had been allowed to sink in, he truly realized for the first time the importance of what Erwin was trying to do. He was trying to stop all of this, to make sure children like the one whose bones he was looking at didn’t die like that anymore. He was the only one who seemed to have a chance, too, and it was amazing that he’d gotten this far now that he knew what exactly they were up against. He didn’t know exactly how long Erwin had been doing this, but just from things he’d said in passing he got the sense that it had been many, many years. 

When he thought about it, he’d first heard of the Wings of Freedom years ago, but who knew how long before that he had started working at this before his guild had gained notoriety in their hometown. None of this necessarily made him see Erwin in a new light, because he’d already known he was good, but he couldn’t help but almost be filled with awe when he thought about how he had obviously devoted everything to this. 

Levi had started walking again while he thought, finally rounding a corner and catching a glimpse of Erwin talking to Mike and some of the others at the village center. He stopped when he got closer to watch him, thinking that at the very least, he had sacrificed his reputation as a paladin, because he’d been investigated and mentioned being untrusted. Even though they knew the truth about why now, no one else did, and even though Erwin seemed to act like he didn’t care, he was sure that couldn’t possibly be completely the case. Who knew what else he had given up. His life, essentially, because now that the stakes had gone up there was the very real possibility that they could all be killed, or worse. 

“Levi!” Erwin called to him, after noticing him standing a few yards away moments later. “Come over here. We have breakfast.”

He walked forward when he was called, making his way to where Mike and Erwin were standing around the remains of one of their fires. He accepted an apple from Mike, and then a wooden bowl of porridge from Nanaba who, much to his surprise, bent to kiss his cheek when he took it from her.

“You look as good as new.” She said, a soft smile on her face as she looked down at him. “I wanted to heal you myself after you fell asleep, but Erwin was adamant that he do it. We were all worried about you, right Mike?”

She turned to Mike after speaking, reaching up to tug on his beard as he just frowned and shrugged one shoulder in response. 

“You did a great service for us yesterday. Thank you.” She continued, and Levi, who had bristled immediately at the sudden touch, averted his eyes to look down into his porridge. 

He found himself almost in disbelief at her grateful words; they had to leave the city because of him, and now they were in even more danger than they'd been before. Why was she saying thank you?

“I didn’t do anything.” He mumbled through gritted teeth, feeling a bit flustered by the attention. “Don't be stupid.”

He looked in another direction as he spoke in an attempt to focus on something else, wondering why he suddenly felt a bit lighthearted. It only got worse when his eyes found Petra, Erd, and their group, sitting around the remains of their own fire and looking in his direction curiously. Petra smiled and waved tentatively when she saw him looking as did a few of the others, and Levi bit his lip for a moment before nodding in just the slightest.

“Nonsense.” Nanaba said after that, getting his attention. “You found out the truth for us.”

Levi turned back just to see Mike nodding from behind her - Mike, who he still assumed hated him - and when Levi’s eyes darted over to Erwin on their own, he found him shining and sparkling with a small smile on his face as he watched him too. In response to all of that, the tips of Levi's ears started to burn and he involuntarily scoffed again. Then, because he was getting overwhelmed, he nodded once quickly before he moved to sit down on a log so that he could start eating his porridge. 

As he did so, Nanaba’s words stuck with him. Normally he would have just brushed off everyone's compliments and dismissed everything, but now what she had said and how Mike and Erwin had agreed, and even how Petra and the others had waved at him was causing him to feel something else underneath his embarrassment. It was something good, something warm, and as he dug into his breakfast and he saw Erwin approaching, he realized that it was companionship, and that even though he had felt that before with Farlan and Isabel, it seemed more meaningful here considering how everyone had distrusted him so much before. They'd been wary of his presence at first, but had now accepted him into their group like he’d belonged from the start, and although Levi wondered for a second why he even cared, he had to begrudgingly admit after a moment that it was because he liked everyone in their group too. 

If Erwin had any inkling of what he was thinking when he sat down, he chose to ignore it so that he wouldn't embarrass him further. Instead of saying anything, he sat down next to him and unrolled a large map, scooting as close to Levi as he dared while they were out in the open like this. 

“We’re going here.” He said, holding it with one hand and pointing at a poorly drawn town next to a sketched outline of mountains. “Shiganshina. It's the last town before you reach the mountains.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Its very isolated. I’ve never been there myself, but I hear that they have a wall even though the town itself isn’t much larger than a village.”

“Won’t those bastards know that’s where we’re going?” Levi said solemnly, scooping out a spoonful of porridge and shoving it into his mouth. 

He was starving, he’d realized soon after he’d started eating, having not had any food since breakfast the day before.

“Maybe. They can’t know we’re heading there for sure. Not right away, at least. But just in case, we won’t be taking a direct route there. Pixis warded me before you got back from the tower, as well, so hopefully we won’t have to endure anymore attacks from strange creatures.”

“Warded?”

“Yes, protective spells against tracking and that sort of thing. He used to be on the council, so he knows types of magic that neither myself nor Hanji are familiar with.”

Levi was quiet for a moment, scraping every last bit of food from the bowl before he set it down to bite into his apple. “How the hell were they tracking us anyway?” 

It was something he’d wondered, every time they’d continued to be attacked by groups of creatures with glowing purple eyes. Even the lich, who hadn’t attacked them directly like all the others but had been lying in wait for them, had been sent to exactly the spot where they were headed as if to intercept them.

“I don’t know. Neither does he. But however they were doing it, hopefully we’re protected now.”

Levi chewed on pieces of apple, wiping at the juice that ran down his chin, and stared at the map in Erwin’s hand while he studied it. There was a marking that had been placed over a spot south of the mountains and north of Karanes over a few sketched buildings that he supposed signified a village. “Ragako” was written over it, and Levi assumed that’s where they were right then. Looking at the distance between that place on the map and where they were headed, Shiganshina seemed to be months away. They had taken a considerable detour when they’d traveled to Karanes, of course, but he hadn’t realized how truly far it had been off of their original route.

If they had gone straight to the mountains, would they have been there by now? Not that it mattered, as it appeared that they had enough supplies to get there fine now, but it just meant more time out in the wilderness unprotected. Levi didn’t care what Erwin said - even if they were warded, whatever that meant, he was still going to see Kenny in every moving shadow and behind every fucking tree, an invisible figure that was going to hang over his head like a shitty, murderous rain cloud. 

With that thought, he kept his eyes trained on Erwin when he rolled up his map and walked across the center of the village to his horse. He ate the last bite of his apple and tossed the core aside before following him with a sudden swell of determination, stopping to stand behind him while he shoved the map into a pack. 

“Levi?” He asked, pausing in adjusting his things to turn and look down at him. 

“I’m not going to let Kenny kill you.” Levi said immediately, staring up at Erwin with a heavy-lidded frown, his voice steely and a hand wrapped around the hilt of one of his daggers.

Erwin looked away, glancing at something over the top of his horse, and jerked at a strap on his bag to make sure it was secured.

“I believe you.” He said, the corner of his lip curving in just the slightest. He turned back to him, flicking his eyes over his horse one more time to make sure no one was looking before he brought his hand up to grasp the back of Levi’s neck. “With a look like that, I’m more worried about him than me.”

Levi scowled, batting his fingers away with the hand that wasn't gripping his dagger, irritated at his nonchalant attitude. “It's not funny, Erwin. You don’t know him, he’s the leader of the rogue’s guild for a reason. You’re lucky I saw him in Karanes, but next time I might not. The bastard is basically fucking invisible."

“Levi.” Erwin said, placing both hands on him, this time on his shoulders. "You're worrying too much."

"And you're not worrying at all.”

"I'm worried about other, more important things."

_ More important than protecting yourself?  _ Levi thought. He wanted to ask him, but he honestly did not know what his answer would be. Erwin had devoted his life to all of this and was putting himself in great danger, and Levi did not doubt that he would die for it. Whether he would say that or not, Levi didn't know, but unfortunately, he found his gut twisting at the thought of hearing it. The sudden shock of his feelings made him stay quiet instead of giving Erwin another scathing response, and he looked down and away, another deep frown pulling at his lips and brows. 

"Why would I worry?" Erwin said, seeming to sense his unhappiness. "He's not going to attack me in broad daylight while I'm surrounded by everyone else. That's not what you did."

"I know that. But there are other times where he could-"

"But at night, you’re with me." Erwin said, sliding his hand up along the back of Levi's neck again.

This time Levi didn't shove him away, the warm brush of Erwin's fingers and the thoughts his words brought up calming him a little. It was true, Erwin was not alone at most times during the day, a fact that Levi had considered when he’d formulated his own plan to kill Erwin at the start of all of this. He’d waited until he'd gone to the bathroom to sneak off and strike, planning to kill him while he was away from the camp and distracted. It had been a simple plan that he and Farlan had come up within minutes, but unfortunately, that just mean there was no doubt that it was something Kenny could think of too. 

"What if you have to take a piss?" Levi asked with that in mind, imagining Kenny stalking Erwin just like he had done, watching and waiting for the moment when he would go relieve himself. 

"You can come with me to take a piss if that will make you feel better." 

"What if you have to take a shit? Can I come then?”

"I'll leave that up to you." Erwin said immediately, smiling a little, enough to make Levi bite his lip and look away again. 

The ridiculousness of the conversation was helping him to relax, but he still wished Erwin would act like he gave a shit that there was an insane assassin after him. He crossed his arms and stayed quiet for a moment, watching Erwin turning to adjust the belongings on his horse one last time, checking to see if everything was secure. While doing so he felt a sudden wave of fondness and an intense protective instinct, and Levi bit his lip, deciding that he wasn't going to give up on this no matter how much Erwin told him not to worry. 

"Someone has to look after your ass, you know, since you aren't going to do it yourself." He said after another few seconds of silence, giving Erwin a glare as if he was daring him to argue. 

"Well, I didn't imagine that anyone might take it quite so literally, but thank you.”

Levi resisted the urge to shake his head, and, he thought as he gritted his teeth, the image of himself stealthed behind Erwin and poised to defend him from any attack that might come as he took a shit, keeping his eyes locked on Erwin’s face instead. He’d spoken in a tone just as blank as his expression, but his eyes were lit up with amusement because of the joke he'd just made. Before Levi could call him a stupid bastard out of irritation at his nonchalance though, Erwin's smile suddenly faded a bit and his expression finally changed into something serious. He placed a hand on Levi's shoulder and brushed a thumb across his cheek, his eyes still bright as he gazed down at him. 

“I'll be careful, Levi, I promise.” He said, his tone even. “I do want to see this to its end, you know. I want to know why they did this. It's...important.”

Levi paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He was a bit relieved by Erwin's words, but also curious at the last of them, because he found himself wanting to ask  _ why _ Erwin felt it was so important. It was the first hint of whatever likely had driven him to do this in the first place besides just pure, unadulterated selflessness, but before Levi could open his mouth, Erwin was speaking again.

“While we’re traveling, I want you to ride next to me.” He said, smiling again. “I want to hear about everything you saw yesterday, like I told you last night.”

Levi nodded, reaching up to give Erwin's fingers a squeeze on impulse before he turned to go find his own horse. That was no problem, as he'd already been planning on riding close to Erwin anyway so he could keep an eye on his back. That was what he was just going to have to do no matter what Erwin said: follow him everywhere he could and watch him as closely as possible in case anything happened. It wasn't that he didn't trust the others not to defend him, and it certainly wasn't like Erwin couldn't take care of himself either, but Kenny was a highly skilled rogue just like him. If he did pop up, then Levi felt he had the best chance of defeating him since he knew all his tricks, and needed to be nearby before he did any damage to anyone else.  

Levi continued pondering it as he approached where his horse was, grazing next to a cart across the village. Someone had taken them for food and water that morning apparently, and as he got closer, he realized that it must have been whoever’s lower half was visible underneath the cart from around the other side. It was Moblit, he realized upon rounding it, propped up against a wheel while Hanji sat in the back of it. She was surrounded by piles of scrolls and books and looked wild again like she hadn't slept at all, her hair sticking up every which way and dark circles underneath her eyes. She was muttering to herself, scribbling something on a piece of parchment when Levi walked up, and only then did he notice that Moblit fast asleep. He looked like he'd been doing the same thing Hanji had been, as he had books around him too and a scroll filled with sketches and writing. His hair was standing on end as if he’d been struck with lightning though, and for a brief second Levi felt concern that he wasn't actually alive until he snorted in his sleep. 

Raising an eyebrow at them both, Levi went to check his things and ready his horse, side-eyeing Hanji to make sure she didn't do any insane magical shit while he was distracted. After a moment it became clear that she barely seemed to notice him though, and he assumed she was trying to decipher the language of the book they'd found. Levi was relieved by that thought because it meant she wouldn't start blabbering to him, but as soon as he started walking away she apparently made some sort of breakthrough, shouting so loudly that it startled Moblit awake violently enough so that his skull slammed against the wheel of the cart when he raised his head. 

"Master Hanji, not so loud!" He said, wincing, but then stopped when he caught sight of Levi trying to beat a hasty retreat. "Levi, is it time to go?"

Levi stopped hesitantly before turning to nod, eyeing them both warily when Hanji finally looked up. 

"Moblit! Get the horses ready.” She barked, her eyes wide. “I can't stop now, I’m so close!" 

Taking that as his cue to walk away again, Levi saw Moblit stand up and brush himself off, making his way toward their horses which were tied up a few yards away. Apparently, Hanji just planned on riding in the cart all day, which was fine with Levi because then there was no danger of her trying to bother him, or, he thought, embarrassing him like she had done before by talking about dicks. 

They left not long after, everyone all packed up and assembled in the village square. The sun was fully up by then, and thankfully, the sky was bright blue and without a cloud to be seen. The rain from the day before had done a lot to dampen their mood, but Levi was glad to see that in general, everyone's spirits seemed to be much higher as they prepared for departure. He took a position right next to Erwin as he'd been requested to do, getting a nod from him even as he sidled up closer than he probably needed to. Perking his ears up and sharply eyeing every direction, Levi prepared himself to watch for Kenny, following a foot behind Erwin on his horse with his back in sight when they finally started forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> drops this and runs


End file.
